NECA's Neat "New Moon" Edward (Plus "Twilight" Bella & Edward)

I bought NECA's 2009 "Edward & Bella" 2-pack only because this Edward is different (enough) from the single-pack 2008 version. The body is the same, but he has a new head with molded shades, and, on closer inspection, his hands are different. Not sure why this was done, since there are no accessories for him to hold. It's possible, however, that the change enables this Edward to hold Bella's hand. (How sweet!)



The detailing on Bella is extraordinary. She's wearing a ring on her right forefinger, and if you check out her shoes, they're brown and black with white shoelaces. Bella's face and hair are amazing likenesses of Kristen Stewart; however, even though she's wearing a jacket, I think NECA could have pronounced her bust line a little more. Overall, this is a splendid Bella figurine.


The 2-pack also comes with the same Cullen crest as the Edward 1-pack. Finally, NECA got the spelling right on Edward's original surname, "Masen."

The New Moon 1-pack of Edward is quite dashing. The head is all-new, but the hair is solid brown, minus the frosted highlights of the Twilight versions. The purple dress shirt goes nicely with the grayish-black sport coat and slacks, but you've gotta check out the shoes: The brown/almost orange coloring is such a stark contrast to the suit that … well … it works. Grandly, even! This is one handsome figurine and a must-own for all Edward fans. Great job, NECA!

Pattinson Shucks Shirt for Sexy Sunlight Sequence

Oh, happy day! Here's one of the first photos of Robert Pattinson as Edward Anthony Masen Cullen in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. He's beautifully bare-chested for the Palazzo dei Priori sequence in Volterra, Italy, where he intends to expose himself as a vampire to the humans gathered there for a festival. Irretrievably despondent because he believes his beloved Bella Swan is dead, Edward plans to step into the sunlight, and when the people see his glittering skin, he will have broken one of the cardinal laws of vampires and be executed by the Volturi, who rule that realm.

You may have noticed that the photograph is rather "spotty." Well, it's not because the photographer didn't clean his lens, and it's not because Rob Pattinson is profusely freckled. Those "dots" were intentionally placed on Rob so that the VFX team can add in the "glittering" effects during post-production. Pretty interesting stuff!

Still waiting for a topless Taylor Lautner pic ... but Rob is more than enough to hold us over until that happens.

You rock, Rob! I love you, Edward!

Twilight Teaser: New Moon Rises

Check out the teaser poster from The Twilight Saga: New Moon!

Y'know, it's too bad that somebody from Summit Entertainment didn't check the calendar before setting the premiere date. There's actually a New Moon scheduled on Monday, 16 November, which is only a few days prior to the 20 November premiere. Of course, movies almost never premiere on a Monday, but perhaps Summit should consider a few "sneak preview" showings in major U.S. cities on 16 November. What a cool gimmick that'd be!

P.S. - I get credit for the idea if Summit actually uses it ... and a free limo and two tickets to the New York sneak preview, where my dear Edward, Mr. Rob Pattinson, will shake my hand, pat me on the back, pose for a picture with me and sign my "Edward" poster from Twilight. Is that too much to ask for such a great idea?

What the Werewolves Aren't Wearing

Yowza!

Check out actors Chaske Spencer, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Bronson Pelletier from The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which opens this November. They're playing the werewolves Lakota, Paul, Embry Call and Jared, respectively, and you'll never guess what they have in common.

No, I'm not referring to their Native American heritage. Think "wardrobe."

Then think good thoughts about getting a similar look at the buffed-up Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black) in his "costume" P.D.Q.!

Oooo, I'm so bad!

A "Twilight" by Any Other Name ...

With less than a month to go before the DVD/Blu-ray release of Twilight, Summit Entertainment (via MTV Movies) has debuted the two-in-one movie logo for New Moon as well as the new designation for the film franchise, The Twilight Saga (which has already been in use for Stephenie Meyer's novel series).

I like this "Lucasian" renaming of the movie franchise, but does it mean we must now refer to the first film as The Twilight Saga: Twilight?

My Own Private "Edward-o"

Oh, happy day. I ordered NECA's new Twilight "Edward" action figure a few days ago (on Amazon) and it arrived inside my screen door this afternoon.

Well, actually, this Edward really isn't an "action" figure, per se, because he only has five points of articulation - at the neck, shoulders and elbows. Not much action ability happening there, so ... what can he do?

• Turn his head sharply to the side, as if he's just detected Jessica thinking more naughty thoughts about him.


• Raise his arms straight up in the air, as if Charlie's just arrested him for ... speeding (not).


• Bend his arms up at the elbows so he can hug NECA's "Bella" figurine (awww).

So, I've kept my Edward "statuette" (yes, that's the right word) sealed inside the package, from which he can glare at me for the rest of my life (and then someone else's life, since he's immortal).

In addition to the statuette, NECA included a replica of the Cullen family crest, which Edward wears on a wristcuff in Twilight. (Borders has been selling that wristcuff, in case you're interested.)

There's only one problem with this beautifully painted statuette: On the card back, Edward's original surname, "Masen," is misspelled as "Mason."

Everybody panic ... then, later, somebody get on the phone to NECA and have them fire the editing staff (and hire me instead, 'cuz I'm the best editor there is).

Hudgens Gives New Meaning to "New Moon"

More news from the New Moon front: Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame apparently tried out for the role of "Leah Clearwater," the young woman who will-be werewolf as the movies progress.

No word yet on whether she'll appear nude ... or whether superstar boyfriend Zac Efron will be a teen wolf, too.

Taylor Toughs It Out - Jacob's Back in Black

Taylor Lautner will return as "Jacob Black" in New Moon ... just as I told y'all the other day.

And you were worried ...

"Blue" New Moon?

I was in Walmart last evening and grabbed one of the tabloid magazines with Rob Pattinson on the cover. Who wouldn't?

Anyway, the "sensational" two-page article spoke of all the woes befalling the New Moon movie before even a single frame of film has been shot. Basically, the "alleged" problems are:

• Pattinson's prolific partying


• Stewart's smoking (i.e., "toking")
  
• Tension is tasking the lovelorn leading man
  
• Lautner's losing his role


• Screenplay and story (from the book) are worlds apart

OK, my fellow Twilighters, let's pretend we've just gone "hunting" and are no longer jittery to the point of completely losing it. Remember, this is Hollywood. Summit Entertainment suddenly has a super hit movie under its belt and is banking on making the sequel even better. It has less than a year to pull everything together, and, in the meantime, it wants to maintain the feverish level of interest its budding franchise is enjoying.

Unlike 2008, however, there's no new Twilight Saga novel (i.e., Midnight Sun) coming out to tide everyone over until November 2009. Yes, the Twilight DVD is highly anticipated and will help things along, but the "official guide" book to the saga may only attract the hardcore fans. So, that leaves Summit with ... what?

Why, stirring up some sassy stories about the cast, of course! How they're all "struggling" to adjust to their newfound "superstardom," and to cope, Rob's drinking too much, Kristen's smoking the ganja, Rob loves Kristen but Kristen has a boyfriend, Taylor's too young and small and will never be able to pull off Jacob's hefty role in New Moon, so he's on his way out, and, finally, the story is being "radically" changed to increase Edward's presence in the movie, to the detriment of Bella and Jacob's budding friendship.

So many troubles! But, you gotta admit, it's a tricky, tried-and-true tactic that's specifically designed to maintain media and fan interest in the franchise. "Get these kids on E.T.! Access Hollywood! TMZ! E! Whatever it takes to keep the spotlight on them for the next 11 months!"

OK, now, let's talk turkey. This whole thing is, first and foremost, a business, and it's designed to make money. Nobody's going to let these actors wash out. Hell, the actors themselves know that the sequel will either make or break the franchise ... and their careers. They don't want their stardom to fizzle just because they couldn't pull it together to make a great movie. Their managers certainly won't let this happen to their new "cash cows." Rob's gonna buckle down off the booze, Kristen's gonna hide the hash pipe, they'll both manage to deal with any "unrequited love" issues, and Taylor's hard work to keep his role will pay off. (Besides, Summit would be stupid to bounce an actor that people already love, regardless of whether they're a Jacob fan or an Edward fan. It's too late ... their voices and faces are already "imprinted" on new readers.)

Regarding the screenplay and Edward's "allegedly" increased presence ... look, Rob Pattinson pulled off a terrific performance in Twilight, despite all the bad tidings. He's proved his mettle, so Summit is going to use him as much as possible — particularly because it's paying him more. Because of this, Jacob's role may be diminished ... but Taylor will get to keep his job and earn his acting chops along the way.

Black Hole Son

Today, I began reading the third-draft excerpt of Midnight Sun, which Stephenie Meyer has posted on her official Web site. I'm only a chapter in, but I was thinking how apropos the title is to Edward. Just as Twilight is a metaphor for Bella's introduction to Edward and the "vampire world," Midnight Sun could be read/interpreted as "cold heat," an apt description of Edward's cold body plus his passion for Bella. It also can stand for "black/dark heat," signifying Edward's revulsion of himself as a "monster" who inherently thirsts for the "heat" of human blood.

Abraham for "Aro"

I have a casting choice for the upcoming movie adaptation of New Moon.

As is typical for me (that is, I'm usually months, if not years, behind such literary sensations as Harry Potter, and, of course, Stephenie Meyer), I wasn't even aware of the Twilight Saga until the media began flooding the marketplace with images of the movie actors. Thus, when reading Twilight for the first time (before seeing the film), I never had the chance to "picture" my own versions of Edward or Bella because I'd already seen Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

Anyway, my choice to play the Volturi leader "Aro" in New Moon (and Breaking Dawn, when it's confirmed) is the great F. Murray Abraham. Meyer's vivid descriptions of Aro as having powder-white, translucent skin and milk-filmed eyes reminded me of Abraham as the elderly Salieri in Amadeus, but also as "Rua'fo" in Star Trek: Insurrection (in which Abraham's makeup consisted of stretched skin grafts all over his face ... quite grotesque). In addition, I could always hear Abraham reciting Aro's falsely sweet, benevolent lines while affecting a kindly expression.

Here's hoping ...

Edward Eternal!

I just found the greatest Twilight Saga avatar online. It quite nicely declared:

"Dear Jacob,

"I WIN.

"Edward."

Truth hurts, don't it, Jacob? Sucks to be you!

Preamble of Pain ... and Delight

Look at how much I've written today. Can you tell I'm procrastinating?

It's just that I don't want to dredge up the emotions — joyful and painful — that are attached to my deepest, most-brittle feelings about the Twilight Saga. I can't face the rush of tears that are sure to follow. All I need to do is double-click on "Decode" by Paramore in My iTunes ... Hayley Williams is such a hot singer, but she just kills me (and not softly, either) with her words, slays me with those lyrics. They really tell the story of Edward and Bella at the beginning ... all the confusion, the pain, the longing, the love. Even though I know this story has a happy ending, when I go back and have to feel the two of them floundering, struggling with false starts, but never giving up their determination to find a way to be together, no matter the cost, the beauty of it all just ... crushes me. Does that kind of thing ever happen in the real world anymore?

I don't think anyone understands why these things just ... suck the wind from my sail, so I can't breathe. I'm not even sure I know why. All I know is that I need to get this out ...

An Eternity for Edward and Bella

I finished reading Breaking Dawn this evening, and, finally, all is well with my world. Edward and Bella are madly and irrevocably in love, indivisibly married and have their daughter, Renesmee. They'll be together for eternity, never to part, and that's all I care about. Their precious, idyllic union will outlive this world and the next ... and will never come to an end.

Thank you, Stephenie Meyer, for renewing my faith in true love ... one that can and will stand the test of time.

Black Jacob

Last night before bed, I finished reading Chapter 15 ("Wager") of Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse and was just appalled by Jacob's behavior toward Bella, holding her fast and kissing her against her wishes. "Rape" is obviously too strong a word to describe this situation, but Jacob did force himself on Bella because he knew his superhuman strength would prevent her from resisting his wanton advances. He disgusted me thoroughly, and I never thought I would feel that way about Jacob. His petulance is bad enough, even though he is a teenager and suffering from the worst case of unrequited love. God knows we've all been there. But I can't give him a pass for this behavior, and I hope he suffers the consequences.

What's worse, though, is that Charlie basically did give Jacob a pass. He probably thought the situation was along the lines of Han Solo's estimation of Princess Leia in The Empire Strikes Back, and that the "frigid" Bella "could use a good kiss." Of course, Charlie doesn't know the whole story, but still, if my daughter's best guy friend forced her to kiss him, then, like the boy or not, I'd be reaching for his throat.

What say you Twilighters? (No spoilers past Chapter 15, please.)