Once Bitten

Unless you’re already tutored in Twilight lore, New Moon is a little hard to swallow

(Nov. 26, 2009) Previews

Opening Wednesday, Nov. 25, is the stop-motion animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the book by Roald Dahl, written and directed by Wes Anderson (Rushmore). The story centers on Fox (voiced by George Clooney) and his conflict with three nasty farmers. Also featuring the voices of Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and others. The film has had strong positive buzz. Rated PG for action, smoking and slang humor. 87m. At the Broadway.

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Ninja Assassin is a martial arts film about an orphan (Korean pop star Rain) who was raised to be a killer, but whose priorities are challenged when he meets a hottie European spy (Naomie Harris). Rated R for strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and language. 99m. At the Broadway and Mill Creek.

Old Dogs is a comedy featuring John Travolta and Robin Williams as Charlie and Dan, two friends who find themselves caring for 7-year-old twins. Unluckily, a sense of family is not their main strength. Kelly Preston plays Dan’s ex, who dumps the twins on him, and the late Bernie Mac is a children’s entertainer in his final film. Rated PG for some mild rude humor. 88m. At the Broadway, Fortuna and Mill Creek.

Reviews

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON: Not having read any of the four books in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, my comments here are based solely on my viewing of the first two film adaptations of the novels. If nothing else, the series provides an incredibly long foreplay. I believe it isn’t until the end of the third book, Eclipse (film adaptation scheduled for release in mid-2010), that Bella and Edward achieve consummation (along with marriage). Who said teens have no self-control?

Based on the films, it is Edward (Robert Pattinson) who puts on the brakes; Bella (Kristen Stewart) seems more than ready. To be fair, there’s more than a tumble in the sack at stake here (no pun intended).

In New Moon, the film opens on a seemingly happy note as Bella turns 18 in the company of Edward and the Cullen family, but this idyll quickly ends when Bella pricks her finger, sending Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) into a blood frenzy. As a result of Jasper’s attack on Bella, Edward decides he needs to leave in order to protect her, but he doesn’t tell her the real reason. When Edward and the entire Cullen clan decamp, Bella falls into a deep funk.

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