Twilight is a good romantic thriller, with style and action that sets up for sequels… the writing is good, the acting is good, the effects aren’t campy or over-the-top, the cinematography and settings are good, with little hints of comic relief.

For someone who grew up in the great northwest, its nice to see a movie embrace that geography of Oregon and Washington, as the movie is set in the town of Forks, Washington, but is shot on both sides of the Columbia River on both sides of the border… showcasing the beautiful Oregon Coast and the majesty of the fir and oak trees of the northwest.

 “Twilight”

(2008) (rated: PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality) (2 hr, 2 min)

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Cam Gigandet, Taylor Lautner, Anna Kendrick, Michael Welch, Justin Chon, Christian Serratos, Gil Birmingham

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Genre: Action/Horror/Romance/Thriller/Vampire/Teen

The Plot: A teenage girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire.

MY TAKE (spoiler free):  Few movies are such a posterchild for the teen anxst and awkwardness as Twilight… this the movie is filled with it… but the irony is that one of the awkward teens in love is a 17 year old outsider from Arizona, the other is a 107 year old outsider that is a vampire.

The movie is full of nice little moments involving main character Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) or Bella and her father the police chief (Billy Burke).

The budding romance and awkwardness of Bella and Edward is the heart of this movie, as the audience, especially the fans of the books will cheer when they finally have their first kiss.   While Bella wrestles with the reality of falling in love with a vampire, Edward is reluctant to embrace what most vampires are: hunters of human blood.

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