Eclipse Review!

 Hi, preeeetty.

I might actually be alone in this feeling since it seems like every other person on the face of the planet who's seen this movie thought it was amazing (as far as Twilight movie standards go, anyway), but I honestly have to say that I just...didn't.  I didn't think it was bad, and maybe I was let down somewhat because of all the hype surrounding the movie (this was the first time I waited a few days after the premiere to go and see it, so I was getting unsolicited reviews from everyone I know), but at the end I left feeling that it was just sort of okay.  Am I the only Twilight fan who thought so?  

In any case, here are my points of interest (be prepared for a lot of New Moon comparisons):

• It has to be said that Robert Pattinson looked amazing throughout the entire movie.  A.  Ma.  Zing.  Even if it looks like he was wearing the same blue shirt -- see picture above -- the whole time.  He also has this way of talking (that soft, sort of low, breathy tone) that just melts your bones.  Still a perfect Edward in my eyes.
• With such an amazing soundtrack (you can see I've warmed up to it and now love it), they could have done a lot more with the music.  There are only a few points where I really felt the music added to the scene, one of which was definitely Sia's "My Love" during Edward and Bella's bedroom scene, another was Band of Horses.  But for the most part, New Moon's use of music was much better.
• I didn't really get an overall mood from this movie.  For example, in New Moon there was a tone for the entire movie, a look.  For the most part, the coloring was in earth tones and the feel was very melancholy.  I didn't get a cohesive feeling from Eclipse and that was disappointing.  In fact, I often felt that scenes from the books were sort of haphazardly cut together, rather than flowing from one to the next.
• I desperately want to find the Eclipse stylists and beat them to death with Bella's wig.  It's horrible, especially after she looked so ethereal and beautiful previously.
• Jackson Rathbone was a very nice surprise (his hair isn't nearly as bad as the pictures make it look).  I really loved that he had more screen time, more dialogue.  It helped him to not be so...awkward  And I obviously loved the Jasper/Alice moments (I'm a fan of their relationship almost as much as I am of Edward and Bella's).
• I thought I'd dislike Edward more, given my feelings toward him in this book.  On the page, he came across as very possessive for the entire first half, but I think they tampered that down somewhat in the movie.
• The training scene was hands down the best.  It sort of seemed like a harken back to the baseball scene from Twilight and I loved it!
• Some other great scenes: Edward and Bella in his bedroom.  Edward and Jacob going toe-to-toe over Jacob and Bella's kiss.  Bella and Charlie's sex talk.  Any scene where I got to look at Riley.  The few seconds of screen time that Seth got (because he's adorable).
• I enjoyed the whole bit about Jessica's graduation speech and how it paralleled Bella's big decision.  Predictable, but still good.
• Even though she looked slightly kabuki, Nikki Reed's portrayal of Rosalie during the conversation with Bella was beautiful.  And when she talked about her revenge, she had this...satisfied look in her eye that gave me shivers, even while her story broke my heart.
• I like Bryce Dallas Howard.  Generally, I think she's a good actress and I enjoy watching her movies, and I also love that she's a hardcore Twilight fan.  I just didn't feel that she was the best person to play Victoria.  I think Rachelle Lefevre was.  Bryce Dallas Howard just didn't have that edge that I wanted Victoria to have (and that Rachelle Lefevre brought to the character); she's too sweet looking, too wide-eyed and innocent.  It didn't sit well.
• Um...hello, Riley and the Australian accent you have in real life.
• So this isn't a flaw with the movie, and it's actually probably a testament to it, but I hated the mountain scene.  It was the worst part of the books for me because it made me completely hate Bella and Jacob and everything about them.  And the same was true when I watched it on screen.  It's stupid and immature, but I wanted to yell at Bella on Edward's behalf, "How could you do this to him?!  You love him more?  That's the best you can do?!  What's wrong with you?!"  I generally don't begin liking Bella again until more than halfway through Breaking Dawn, after the conversion takes place.  And I never really warm up to Jacob after this.

Alright, that's it.  Bring on Breaking Dawn.