Profound Stupidity

Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - Eclipse Novella

2010-04-14T23:36:00.001-07:00

While we're still waiting for that Edward POV novel to come around, as well as waiting for new Eclipse Movie updates to come around, I bring you great news. Stephenie Meyer has written an offshoot book out of Eclipse (an Eclipse Novella, if you will), which focuses on Bree Tanner and the dark world of the newborn vampires. It talks about the epic battle in the POV of Bree - how they form the newborn army and try to defeat the Cullen Family and Bella Swan.

It's quite an interesting plot and promises to be darker and more action-packed than the previous four Twilight Saga novels. As of this article, we need to wait only 55 days more till the Short Second Life of Bree Tanner hits the shelves.

Aside from the entertainment factor, this book is going to pay it forward by donating one dollar of every novella to American Red Cross. I estimate the donations to be quite a huge sum considering all the Twilight fans who will definitely be waiting in line to buy a copy of this.

Lilly Scott's (American Idol) Earrings

2010-03-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

One thing that stood out for me about Lilly Scott, aside from her obviously talented quirky voice and musical styling was her earring collection. If you're like me and you've asked yourself "Where can I buy Lilly Scott's earrings?" at one point or another, then read on!

I found this Lilly Scott-inspired crochet earrings, the ones she wore when she sang a Patsy Cline tune (and surprisingly got eliminated that week!) here.

Check out Lilly Scott's actual earrings (first two pictures from the left) vs. the inspired version (right-most picture):

You can check out the Lilly Scott earrings at this link:

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/03/american_idol-inspired_crochet.html

The Twilight Eclipse Movie Trailer

2010-03-12T02:58:00.000-08:00

The Twilight Eclipse movie trailer is finally here and we've got lots of juicy tidbits from the Eclipse book featured here.

(1) Of course, there are the Edward / Bella moments:

(2) And then there's Jacob making a love triangle out of things:

Cutest Jacob picture by far, in my opinion ;)

At the latter portion of the trailer, Jacob tells Bella he's gonna take care of her till her heart stops beating - which is a very appropriate thing to say considering his disdain for the idea of Bella being turned into a vampire.

(3) And then Jacob Black and his... abs??(?)

Is it just me or has Jacob Black's abs vanished or lessened? Perhaps he got depressed and ate one too many Ben and Jerry's thinking about Bella Swan? None the less, he still looks fine ;)

(4) The Volturi make an appearance, and red-eyed Dakota Fanning (Jane) warns Edward and Bella that she must be turned real soon or else:

(5) Finally, the grand entrance of the new Victoria, now played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Personally, she doesn't look as fierce and elegant as the previous actor, Rachelle Lefevre, but let's wait and see how she delivers when the Eclipse movie shows:

One more leaked Eclipse movie screen shot can be seen here!

American Idol 9: First Set of Girls, Guys Booted Out

2010-02-26T04:32:00.000-08:00

The drama that is elimination night has started again this season, and an unexpected set of guys and girls gout booted out this week.

I was afraid that it was the redhead Lacey Brown who was going to be booted out as her performance was lackluster, and she did not fall under the judge's faves category. You could imagine my relief when I realized Lacey was in.

Instead, two of the good looking girl contestants of the season were booted out: Janell and Ashley. It was a surprising turn of events considering the fact that the good looking ones normally get away with a few bad performances (case in point: Kristy Lee Cook).

I wasn't very surprised about the Joe Munoz cut, his performance was very safe. Good but nothing memorable, and nothing that could have spurred me (and apparently America) to vote for him. What surprised me terribly though was the Tyler Grady boot.

I felt 100% for Tyler Grady's comments about the judges giving constructive criticism too little to late. It almost felt as though the judges had plunged a knife into Tyler's back by suddenly doing a metanoia and putting down his 70s vibe. Back in Hollywood week, they were all praises about his "blast from the past" persona and performances, and had never, at one point, advised him to try to explore new territory. Kara had even said that she wanted to be in "Planet Tyler".

After an entertaining "American Woman" that was true to his style (definitely nothing groundbreaking but it was at least memorable), the judges suddenly turned their back on this lovable dark horse, telling him that he should try something new already, criticizing the things they had just praised about last week.

Even Simon Cowell seemed to nod in agreement when Tyler pointed this out. The judges should have at least taken his performance in stride, pointed out more good points about it and based their comments on their love for his old school style, and then suggested him to try something new next week. I blame the judges 100% for Tyler's absence next week.

It might not be the Year of the Tyler Grady this AI season, but I hope a lot of good things come his way.

Eclipse Movie Leaked Screenshots / Photos + Updates

2010-02-14T00:52:00.000-08:00

For those who are having Twilight-related withdrawal symptoms, here's one screen shot of the Eclipse movie that have been revealed, which shows Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) being all lovey dovey:

I can't wait for the day they release action-packed Eclipse movie screen shots like the new breed of vampires, a glimpse of the skirmish among the werewolves, Cullens, and the Volturi, and Jasper Hale being in charge. I'd also love to see more of the Bella/Jacob vs Bella/Edward moments.

The Twilight cast has revealed that they have done intense training to prepare for the epic battle to take place in the third installment of the series.

Let's hope we get more Eclipse movie updates, teasers, photos, and screen shots soon!

The Eclipse movie is scheduled to show on June 30, 2010.

Twilight Rosalie Necklace Replica Jewelry

2010-01-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

I finally got my authentic Rosalie Cullen Twilight Replica Necklace by NECA, purchased via Amazon.com. I bought it at less than $30. I'm sure a lot of you are curious as to how it looks like (every side of it, not just the front), so I've decided to post a few pictures of the bauble :)

My comments?
#1. The crest is quite huge. The crest measures 1.6 inches width X 2.6 inches height (this includes the filigree details beside the crest). I personally like it huge because it has the approximate size of a standard locket and I love locket necklaces. As such, I think the crest charm / pendant of the Rosalie Necklace replica jewelry looks better with a longer chain rather than the shorter double-stranded chain. Which leads to:
#2. The dual chain lengths. You can opt for the double-stranded chain (featured in the pictures above), or you can turn it into a long necklace, so it can match with all sorts of outfits and moods.
#3. Quality of the crest is not as brilliant as the crest on the Edward Cullen wrist cuff. The crest looks fine from afar, but if you really stare at it and look at it closely, the crest doesn't look as vintage as it should (if it were to look like it had been around the Cullen clan for hundreds of years), particularly the "background" where the crest's symbols lie. The background is dark gray and looks like it was just newly painted (which it really is anyway).

Overall, I'd give the Rosalie Cullen replica jewelry necklace a score of 8. From afar, the piece looks like a good necklace, and the fact that everyone knows it comes from Twilight makes all the difference. If it was just a random crest, it would probably not warrant as high a score since it holds no special meaning and place in our hearts. As it stands, however, it represents a mysterious, illustrious, and beloved family of one of the most popular books ever made, so I consider it a very good buy.

Eclipse IMAX to show 30 June 2010 + movie poster

2009-12-16T22:52:00.000-08:00

Here are two reasons why Twilight fans should rejoice!

1. Eclipse will be shown on IMAX which means that we can experience the epic werewolf-vampire battle more dramatically (hopefully, the movie will not disappoint in terms of the battle scenes)

2. According to IMDB, The Eclipse movie will grace the theaters on June 30, 2010. Yep! you read right, that's just a few months away from now. Of course, we should expect some delays here and there, but suffice to say, they're working on the movie as we speak. In fact, the director even tweeted last December 11 that they have "200 days to go", which is roughly 6+ months :)

The Eclipse movie will be directed by David Slade, who's also done some music video directing in the past (notably for Stone Temple Pilots!) but aside from that, he's done just a few projects here and there (based on his IMDB at least), so I'm actually pretty excited (okay, maybe a tad anxious too haha) about what he's going to bring to the table for the third Twilight movie.

I'm surprised Chris Weitz didn't stay on for the second movie, seeing as he did quite a good job for the New Moon movie, but I'm hopeful this new guy will do just as well.

Some tweets of his to whet your appetite:

"Jacob & Bella are matching with intensity, & it's all even with the action sequences. Right now we are in a great state of balance."
11 December 2009 10:46 AM, PST

"As we cut. Edward seems to be a really strong presence, the intensity of the love story & rivalry between Jacob is in the driving seat."
11 December 2009 10:43 AM, PST

I agree with him, the rivalry between Edward and Jacob is a crucial part of Eclipse, and is something I'm looking forward to. With the intensity Jacob showed on the New Moon, I'm sure I will be pleased with how he delivers this next movie.

Last but not the least, here is a look at the Eclipse movie poster!

New Moon Songs Played during the Movie

2009-12-01T18:07:00.000-08:00

The New Moon Soundtrack, which debuted in October, has received platinum status, so I figured it will be perfect to feature the New Moon soundtrack list. I'm sure most of you wonder "When was played in the movie again?" or "What was the song playing during the Victoria chase scene?" or "The song during the cliff diving scene?" or even better, "What was the song playing when Bella and Jake were fixing their bikes and Bella asked Jacob to turn off the song (which Jacob said he liked) because she wasn't into music anymore?"

You need not wonder anymore. Here you go!

1. Death Cab For Cutie – Meet Me On The Equinox
Played during the end credits

2. Band Of Skulls – Friends
When Bella decides to walk to the biker boys in Port Angeles, much to Jessica's dismay

3. Thom Yorke- Hearing Damage
Played during the kick-ass Victoria chase/hunt scene

4. Lykke Li – Possibility
This was the song played during Bella's depression when she was just sitting down in her room as the months passed by (literally - September, October, November, December...)

5. The Killers - A White Demon Love Song
Played at the start of the New Moon movie credits

6. Anya Marina – Satellite Heart
Edward is driving Bella back home, after her birthday mishap.

7. Muse - I Belong To You (New Moon)
Bella and Jessica on their "Girls Night Out"

8. Bon Iver and St. Vincent – Rosyln
My personal favorite! This was played the days after the birthday mishap, her doing her scrapbook, wondering where Edward is, and the moment when Edward finally appears outside her house to take her on what will be the most heartbreaking walk of Bella's life.

9. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Done All Wrong
Bella and the pack of wolves head over to Emily's cabin for some uberly huge muffins.

10. Hurricane Bells – Monsters
This scene was when Bella was driving to school on her birthday and Edward was doing that slow mo walk through the school parking lot towards Bella.

11. Sea Wolf – The Violet Hour
Birthday party scene

12. Ok Go- Shooting The Moon
Played during Bella and Jacob's bonding moments, rebuilding the bikes, one of my favorite New moon movie scenes! Great scene for Jacob/Bella ship supporters!

13. Grizzly Bear - Slow Life
Bella's dramatic cliff diving scene, when Edward's visage appears beside her

14. Editors – No Sound But The Wind
At the latter part of the movie, after the whole Volturi scene, Edward is driving Bella home and Jacob Black stands on the road.

15. Alexandre Desplat – New Moon (The Meadow)
Opening credits. Also played during the time when Bella goes to the meadows where she first laid eyes on Edward Cullen's sparkly self, trying to revisit her past.

And last (but definitely not the least!):
New Moon Soundtrack (OST) BONUS TRACK! All I Believe – The Magic Numbers & Amadou & Mariam. Song that was playing when Jacob and Bella were fixing motorcycles and Bella told him to turn the song off.

The soundtrack made the New Moon movie that much more enjoyable.

New Moon Movie, Team Jacob, Twilight vs New Moon

2009-11-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

The long wait is finally over and by now most Twi fans have probably watched the movie. I think it's pretty safe to say that a lot of fans have been swayed to the werewolf Jacob team after watching the second movie!

Proof?

1. Jacob is winning the shirtless battle poll BY A LANDSLIDE

2. Is it safe to say that in every cinema that aired New Moon, there was a very audible gasp heard when Jacob took off his top to help bleeding Bella? No gasps when Edward did the same in Italy.

3. The awws and the giddy giggles from people who saw that scene when Jacob Black looked at the dreamcatcher hanging on Bella's bed

4. A huge avalanche of Facebook posts (at least in my network) asking Santa for Jacob, or shouting "Team Jacob!", some coming from people who were die hard Rob/Edward fans who I've actually argued countless times with trying to defend the werewolf!

Most of my Edward supporter friends said they're Team Jacob only in the movie but remain loyal when it comes to the book. To other Edward supporters out there, do you feel the same way? To the new Team Jacob supporters, is it more a preference based on the physical appearance or on the person as a whole? Comment please!

Personally, I've been a Jacob fan ever since the New Moon book came out, so this might have been one reason why I loved the New Moon movie more than the first Twilight movie. I was so glad to see Taylor Lautner doing an incredible job of portraying Jacob Black the way I had imagined him to be. I'm glad his hotheadedness showed in the movie - this is one of the aspects of his personality that I find very crucial because it highlights the difference between Edward and Jacob, and because I think temper is the very essence of a werewolf. I also saw great chemistry between Bella and Jacob and most times I felt like they looked and acted better as a couple than Edward and Bella (Join my Jacob/Bella vs Edward/Bella debate here!)

Other things I loved about this movie:

- More action! Loved the whole wolf fights and Jacob's wolf transformation.
- More Jasper screen time! I'm glad we got to see more of him and his charms this new movie, and I am excited for his appearance on the third Twilight movie, where he will have a much huger role.
- Direction and overall quality of the movie was just nicer in my opinion
- Loved the dynamics between the werewolves, the scene where they were eating those huge muffins at the cozy cabin. Almost depicted how I had imagined it to be and makes me want to be there and be a part of the pack!
- Alice was charming as always. That part where she said "As soon as you let the dog out" was hilarious
- The Volturi did not disappoint. The fight scene between Edward and the brute Felix was intense, Aro, Jane and Demetri did a good job as well, Marcus, Caius, and Alec did not get enough screen time so I will reserve my judgments for the Eclipse movie.

To everyone, Twilight Movie VS New Moon Movie -- Did you enjoy the second movie more than the first? Comment away!

3rd New Moon Trailer - Cliff Diving, Volturi, Werewolves

2009-10-11T20:39:00.001-07:00

This third (3rd) New Moon movie trailer is the New Moon movie trailer to watch. It shows ever single aspect that we must look forward to in the movie:

1. Jacob Black - nuff said? ;)
2. the Volturi (Although I didnt see much of Alec)
3. Dakota Fanning's portrayal of Jane (I think Dakota captured the essence of Jane when she said "This might hurt a little" - very cold and unemotional
4. Bella's cliff diving stunt, her seeing a visage of Edward Cullen in the waters and the visage dissipating as Jacob pulls her up and saves her. Taylor Lautner fans will love that scene :)
5. the infamous yellow sports car Alice drove
6. The whole pack of werewolf Quileutes
7. A whole lot of vampire and werewolf action.
8. and of course for the die-hard rob fans out there: Robert Pattinson shirtless

The movie is just a month and a few days away and this trailer has certainly whet my appetite!!!

New Moon Volturi Movie Cast & Scenes

2009-09-17T02:48:00.000-07:00

The Volturi clan members have finally graced us with their presence, complete with red eyes, and slightly frightening yet equally or more elegant appearances. Have all the Volutri vampires satisfied that image you've had about them in your head while you were reading the book? You be the judge:

Personally, I think Marcus is gearing up for a Harry Potter role rather than a Twilight New Moon Movie one. Or maybe it's because I've been rooting for Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) to get the role since before (Click here to view my fan Volturi movie cast poster):

Aro, on the other hand, looks a bit too old school vampire (think Dracula) for me, and my first judgment is that I prefer Michael Sheen when he was a werewolf in Underworld. He was a lot more fearful there and the rugged look seems to work better.

Dakota Fanning, on the other hand, looks really Jane-like already! I think even those who were skeptical about choosing Dakota for the role must be taking back their words. She looks a lot older here, almost a bit like Hilary Duff.

Second New Moon Trailer - Team Jacob

2009-08-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

New Moon has always been predominantly about Jacob so it was only befitting that the second trailer to the New Moon Movie focused on Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner).

All Team Jacob followers are surely squealing by this point. I like how the trailer showed every side to Jacob that we needed to see. His temper. His dedication to Bella. And his all-around kick-arse-ness ;) I would have wanted to see more scenes depicting his temper but I guess I'd have to wait till the movie!

There's also an extremely, EXTREMELY quick glimpse at the blonde Volturi with red eyes, who I believe is none other than Dakota Fanning (playing as Jane), but the scenes shift so quickly that even when I pause at the exact moment she is shown, I cannot be 100% sure it's her.

The other teaser/trailer for New Moon movie is here.

Which trailer did you like better? This new one or the first?

New Moon Cliff Diving scene - Bella

2009-08-17T03:45:00.000-07:00

The cliff diving scene is one of the quintessential scenes of the New Moon movie. This scene is very important because 1) it clearly depicts the turmoil that must be stirring inside Bella as she ponders on the drastic separation from her soul mate, and 2) it moves the plot forward and prompts the latter events to happen.

UPDATE: Here is Bella's OFFICIAL cliff diving scene shown in the movie (starts at 0:56)!

I've always imagined how the cliff diving scene will be shown on the new moon movie, and I think this fan-made video really hits the spot!

What do you think? Did this fan-made video portray how the cliff diving scene played in your head?

Kristen Stewart also shares a bit on how the scene is going to be played. Looks like a computerized Kristen Stewart will be doing the jump itself. Let's hope the CGI / effects are gonna pull it off and it's gonna look very realistic!

Kristen Talks about Cliff Diving Scene - Watch more at Vodpod.

New Moon Movie Motorcycle Scene Footage!

2009-07-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

One of the quintessential scenes of New Moon was shown during last week's Comic Con: THE MOTORCYCLE SCENE! I remember this scene in the book as one of the major turning points in Jacob and Bella's relationship. I also vividly recall how the motorcycle scene epitomized Jacob Black's utter coolness and hotness. And the movie footage delivered on both points!

It seems that the fans at the Comic Con all agreed as they squealed during the juicy parts, biggest scream happening when Jacob Black went shirtless to help Bella's head injury (which tallies correctly with the Shirtless battle poll I made recently - JACOB LEADS THE SHIRTLESS BATTLE by a WHOPPING 350+ votes!). We also see in the footage how Edward will be appearing in front of Bella from time to time, and based on this small clip, they've done a good job of doing so!

If Taylor Lautner could look this good with the long hair wig, then I am aching to see more of Taylor Lautner once Jacob Black cuts off his hair. I can almost imagine the squeals being magnified gagillion-fold!

I don't know about you guys but I'm now even more excited for the New Moon movie! ;)

Jacob (Lautner) vs Edward (Pattinson) : Shirtless Battle

2009-06-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Shirtless seems to be one of the most buzzed about words in the upcoming New Moon Movie.

Just a few months ago, we saw the whole New Moon werewolf pack showing off their gym-ed up bodies:

Now, all you drooling fans can see Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) shirtless too!

I won't let you wait further, here are the pictures. The original shirtless Edward / Robert Pattinson picture had dots on the body (for the sparkling effect I'm guessing), so I've edited out so you won't get distracted. Jacob shirtless screens come from the New Moon Movie teaser/trailer:

SO WHO WINS THE SHIRTLESS BATTLE? Please vote on my poll below!

Who looks better shirtless? Jacob Black or Edward Cullen?(opinion)

And leave a comment to explain your vote! :)

Also, if you haven't voted on my poll about the trailer, please do so:

http://www.profoundstupidity.net/2009/06/new-moon-teaser-now-up.html

I'm pleased to note that Team werewolves and team vampires are neck and neck (no pun intended) in the vote count. The werewolves are just trailing by 6 votes. Go to the link now and profess your loyalty!

Also, surprisingly enough, based on the current poll, more people are drooling over Jacob Black than they are Edward Cullen!. Could Robert Pattinson be losing his limelight?

"Jacob Black is hot! This teaser showed Jacob Black. Therefore, I like this teaser a lot!" got 41 votes, while "Sorry I couldn't tell, was distracted by Edward's hot-ness" got only 26 votes. Anyway, too soon to tell now, let's see how the polls go after a few more votes ;)

Till next Twilight post!

New Moon Teaser now Up!

2009-06-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

YES! THE NEW MOON TEASER IS FINALLY UP! Watch it!

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer in HD

Then vote and comment:

Personally, I am EXCITED for the New Moon movie! It's amazing to think that Taylor Lautner is only 17 years old, because in that short amount of time he was shown in the trailer, he looked beyond his years. I think he's going to really kick a*s in this new movie.

Can't wait to see the Bella / Jacob dynamics as well. And I'm interested to see how they're gonna pull off showing those small Edward flashback / hallucination scenes every now and then.

Woot!

Taylor as Jacob Black in New Moon Movie : Some things to be Excited about!

2009-05-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

I had a less than warm response to Taylor Lautner as he filled in the shoes of my favorite Twilight character, Jacob Black, during the first Twilight movie. The long hair didn't quite fit him as much as it would have fit Steven Strait (my first choice). Then there was his very young age and overly boyish looks that made me doubt if he could pull of the growth spurt and sudden maturity towards New Moon.

If you entertained the same thoughts as I did at any point, here are some reasons why I am now 100% confident Taylor Lautner can pull of Jacob Black in the New Moon movie, and why he should be one of the top reasons why you should be excited and stoked for the upcoming movie!

First, an image to show Jacob Black then (Twilight) and now (New Moon). The transition is amazing! And I realized that I was stupid enough to be so hasty in my judgment that Taylor could never be Jacob in my eyes, when he actually acted the correct way back in the first movie - a little boy with not a care in the world, and a seemingly small role to the development of the story - just as how Stephenie Meyer herself portrayed the soon to be werewolf in her first book.

You can see just how many emotions are swirling inside the very persona (the eyes, the stance, the everything!) of Taylor Lautner on the right - emotions, frustrations, anxieties, realizations that had not been there on the left (just a happy unsure kid). If you didn't know, by the way, the picture above is the official poster of New Moon, which is also miles better than the Twilight poster, in my opinion!

I believe one of the most defining changes (among a whole lot of them) is his short hair. The short do really works better for Taylor Lautner, and I'm glad that in the New Moon book, Jacob Black does cut off his hair already so he can finally show his better hairdo :) Here are 5 pictures of Taylor Lautner as the short-haired Jacob Black (how he will look like in the New Moon movie) that will tickle anyone's fancy:

Definitely, this is a good sign that the New Moon movie will be great!

If this is not enough, here are other signs that the New Moon movie is gonna be great!

Alex Meraz is one person to watch out for in the New Moon movie. The first time I saw him I was immediately entranced by the intensity of his gaze and the fierceness of his face, that I was positive he would pull off the role of the not so level-headed Paul! And then of course I don't believe I have to state the obvious - he is HOT!

With regards to the progress of New Moon movie, Stephenie Meyer said, and I quote, that "Chris Weitz is brilliant" and "Kristen, Rob, and Taylor are beyond words" so we should expect a lot of great things from this 2nd installment of Twilight.

Finally, if you want exclusive New Moon teaser and on-the-set photos and exclusive photos of New Moon set - Jacob's House, Garage, etc, click on the corresponding links.

------------------------------------

I'm sure you guys are now drooling and waiting anxiously for the movie to show. Here are the current New Moon movie schedules as posted in IMDB. Look for your country to see when the New Moon movie will play (finally!) in your area.

Nov 18: Belgium, France
Nov 19: Australia, New Zealand, Slovakia
Nov 20: USA, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Turkey
Nov 26: Argentina, Czech Republic
Nov 27: UK, Estonia
Dec 10: South Korea
Dec 18: Hong Kong
Dec 31: Greece

Can't wait till November 2009? A month and a few days before the actual showing of New Moon on the movie theaters, a movie companion will be released featuring eye candies behind the scenes of New Moon. It's going to sell at $18.99 a pop.

Let me quote stepheniemeyer.com:

"New Moon: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion — a follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestselling Twilight companion, this lavishly illustrated paperback will give readers an exclusive behind-the-scene guide to the making of the movie, including full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets, and much more. (October 6, 2009; $18.99)"

Update: The New Moon Cast is Finished!

2009-04-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

The new moon characters have been cast and sadly none of the people I was rooting for got in, particularly Gaspard Ulliel. They opted to cast the role of Demetri to an unknown actor, by the name of Charlie Bewley, who, objectively speaking, actually looks like he can pull off the character.

The role of Volturi leader Caius was given to Jamie Cambpell Bower, who is no stranger to the dark genre, having starred in Sweeney Todd last 2007. Additional Trivia: He is set to play as Gellert Grindelwald in the Deathly Hallows movie. I'm not 100% sold on him being Caius, I'm afraid he might not exude an aura intimidating and "regal" enough, but I'm not going to judge him before I see how he does this coming November.

Mind-reader Aro, on the other hand, was given to Michael Sheen, and I am thoroughly confident he will pull off the role as perfectly as he has done in Underworld.

You can click on the link above to view the actual image of the cast as well as the rest of the actors playing as the Volturi cast.

American Idol: The Drama! Grave mistake of having 2 judges per performance, etc

2009-04-16T03:35:00.000-07:00

This week's American Idol Season 8 shows were chock full of drama and happenings that I felt compelled to write a blog post about it.

For starters, the director had this queer idea of having only 2 judges give their thoughts on each performance. The judges would alternate per performance - simon/paula first then kara/randy, and so on. It was in response to the huge problem AI has had for ages - not finishing on time.

For one thing, I'm actually quite shocked that at this point of the game, they still have this problem. There are less performances to judge on now, and the video cuts between the instructor (this week was Quentin Tarantino - a huge shocker for me! I didn't know he had a lot of knowledge in musical coaching!) and the AI contestant were not too long-winded.

I realized, however, that it may be in part due to the addition of the fourth judge, Ms. Artistry herself, Kara.

I think that having only two judges judge per peformance was a HUGE mistake, and cost points against a few of the contestants, most notably Kris Allen, whose performance was absolutely brilliant and soulful, but who sadly got a bad review from Randy. Simon had to comment the day after that he loved Kris' performance but the damage had been done - luckily, Kris didn't get into bottom 3 because of this costly mistake.

If the AI director really wanted to save on time, he should, personally use this strategy instead:

1. Have Simon judge BEFORE all the other judges
2. Have the other 3 judges talk ONLY IF their opinion is different from Simon's or they have something substantial to add on to it. By substantial, I do NOT mean:
- mentioning the word ARTISTRY
- mentioning the word DOG
- commenting about the song rather than the performer (see paragraph below)
3. Lessen Paula's stuttering - I don't know how they're gonna do this, but it's going to be a huge time saver, IMO

In other news, I was so utterly CONFUSED about Paula's comments on Lil Rounds - instead of judging her vocals and/or performance (which I believe Simon commented on perfectly), she just said that the song was a beautiful one composed by . Huh?!

And then when Lil Rounds started defending herself (as she always does - seriously, it's getting very old and annoying already), Paula commends her and says something like "don't ever hold back" - which is needless to say, because Lil Rounds NEVER holds back on comments. If there is anything she is consistent on, it is her final say on her performance.

Meanwhile, Matt Giraud threw a less than perfect performance (but in my opinion, still a good performance none the less), and got cold reviews from Kara and Randy. I don't know if Simon and Paula would have helped him had they been given the chance to speak but Simon did say on the next day, when he performed again to plead for a save, that he wasn't as good that day as he was the day prior, so I'm guessing Simon might have somewhat liked Matt's initial stint.

The crowd was shouting for a save, the judges were discussing it longer than usual, and finally, Matt is given the only save the judges can give (Tears are shed, and the results episode became one of the most dramatic ones I've watched by far), putting Matt up in the book of AI world records as the first person to ever be saved AND as the most times saved by the judges, as he was also saved back in Wild Card round.

Which simply means that Matt has HUGE potential (believe me, try to listen to some of his studio versions, and you'd find out just HOW GREAT HE IS!). I only wish that he could be more consistent and choose better songs because it will be a dang shame if he didn't sail through to at least the top 4.

Simon ends the results night with a buzz kill, telling the contestants not to be so happy about Matt's save because 2 people were gonna go home next week and next week was going to be.... DISCO NIGHT.

Off the bat, I think Anoop is going to have the most trouble during this night, as I recall his Michael Jackson performance. I'm hoping Lil Rounds will be eliminated already, because she's really not listening to the judges and stepping up to the plate. I'm a bit afraid of how Kris is going to pull off Disco Night as well. I certainly hope he'll do good. He's got great talent so he should be able to do this right.

Can't wait for next week!

The Werewolves Cast of New Moon Movie have been Confirmed!

2009-03-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

JUICY NEW MOON MOVIE UPDATE! They have now rounded up the final pack of Quileute wolves to be starring in the New Moon Movie, the second installment of Twilight.

And here they are:

Chaske Spencer, Bronson Pelletier, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Tyson Houseman are the wolves playing in the Twilight Saga (New Moon) movie.

They are all of native American descent (yey!) and we're in good hands because the person responsible for casting these wolves is Rene Haynes, who is known for her Native Projects (ex. Dances with Wolves). Houseman was just discovered at an open casting call.

Here are their pictures!

The site doesn't say exactly who plays whom, but I'm betting my Twilight bracelet that Alex Meraz will play the role of Paul, the bad-tempered wolf. He just has the look perfect for that character. And I believe Chaske is the only one who can play the alpha wolf Sam Uley. Bronson and Kiowa can probably interchange roles. I'm honestly still unsure what role Tyson Houseman will get, I don't think he can be Quil because Quil is supposed super buff. Could he be Seth Clearwater perhaps?

I've also read rumors that Tinsel Korey will be playing Emily Young, Sam Uley's fiancee, but this is not confirmed in Stephenie Meyer's official site. This is her picture:

They've kept to their original news that Leah Clearwater won't be showing her face on the second movie. Does this mean that Vanessa Hudgens still has a chance? Possibly not, since she is not of full Native American descent (father is Irish+Native American / mother is Filipino+Spanish+Chinese). Anyway, we shall see after New Moon Movie is played and they start planning for Eclipse.

So, what are your thoughts on the New moon movie werewolf cast? :)

CONFIRMED! Dakota Fanning is now Volturi's Jane!

2009-03-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

It's now confirmed! Dakota Fanning has earned the role as New Moon's Jane, the small vampire who creates illusions of pain. The rest of the Volturi has yet to be confirmed, but please try checking out my dream Volturi cast here.

Can't wait for November 2009 when the New Moon movie gets released!

Some New Moon Movie Treats and Updates (Bronston Pelletier)

2009-02-28T22:16:00.000-08:00

We've got one confirmed cast for the Quileutes! It's Bronson Pelletier, a Plain Cree native originally from Askinootow First Nation. He's a pretty unknown actor, IMDB lists only two previous stints from him aside from Twilight - Renegadepress.com and Dinosapien. Here's a picture:

Here's another fan-made New Moon Trailer to whet your appetite. I must say I was also deeply impressed with this one:

Although I must give the maker of this video a few minus points for the misleading "New Moon Official Trailer 2009" title that was put up on Youtube. ;)

Finally, there are a lot of rumors stirring about Ashley Green (Alice Cullen) and Jackson Rathbone dating! Jackson (Jasper Hale) undeniably has a crush on her, which he himself stated here:

See this, too:

How true this Jackson - Alice relationship is I don't know. But they do make for a good offscreen, onscreen couple don't they?

http://www.whosdatedwho.com/celebrities/couples/profile/jackson-rathbone-and-ashley-greene.htm

However, and this is a big "however", I've also seen in another website that Ashley Greene is actually dating 90210 Ryan Eggold, so I'm quite confused myself. :P

Be part of the New Moon Movie Cast! + Dakota as Jane

2009-02-15T21:34:00.001-08:00

Think you got what it takes to be one of the Quileutes? Or to be one of the vampires! Check out this link to learn more!

http://castingscoop.blogspot.com/2009/01/we-promised-you-new-moon-update-here-it.html

The link has confirmed that there will be casting auditions in LA and Vancouver.

If you want to be the next Leah Clearwater, or any of the other Quileutes, make sure you're of Native American descent. Be sure you study the role you wish to play to the letter. More tips are found in the link above. Good luck everyone!

***** EDIT MARCH 9, 2009: Dakota Fanning as Jane has been CONFIRMED! *****

As for other new moon movie updates, there seem to be nothing new that is substantial or confirmed yet, but I will be keeping you updated. I do have this inkling though that Dakota Fanning is this close to getting the Jane role, because of these two youtube videos:

1) her interview

2) she was spotted with Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz at her "Push" premier.

***** EDIT MARCH 9, 2009: Dakota Fanning as Jane has been CONFIRMED! *****

According to the IMDB site, the New Moon Movie will be released by November 20, 2009.

Please click here for my Volturi Dream Cast for New Moon.

And here if you haven't read Midnight Sun Twilight Book 5 yet.

Volturi Cast for New Moon Movie (My Dream Cast)

2009-02-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Below is my own dream cast for New Moon's Volturi, the head of the whole vampire clan. The Volturi is undeniably a crucial part of the Twilight series - at least the action/suspense aspect of the series. As such, I believe the success of the upcoming Twilight movies will hinge on how well the Volturi will act.

My dream cast is based on a lot of rumors and news snippets revolving around who will play who, as well as my own ideas on who should be considered.

I'm very hopeful that Chris Weitz will do a good job of casting. I was impressed with the execution of Golden Compass so I think he won't have any problems with making New Moon a dramatic and suspenseful watch.

Without further ado, here's my fan-made poster for the New Moon Movie. Please note that it's fan-made so there is no truth whatsoever to it. Enjoy!

I'm not quite sure who should play who yet, except for Dakota Fanning playing as Jane. If Gaspard Ulliel were to play as Alec, then Tom Felton is out of the picture. I don't think Tom can take on any of the other Volturi roles. I do think though that Gaspard Ulliel has the potential to play a role bigger than Alec. Whether he could be one of the Volturi leaders (Aro, Caius, Marcus) remains to be seen. I'm wondering if his age will be a hindrance to him being chosen as one of the leaders. I think he can also be a good fit for the role of Demetri as Demetri is described as being tall and lean, but again, I think it is a waste of Gaspard's talent and presence to cast him with such a small role. Stephen McHattie and Alan Rickman, should they be chosen, should, of course, be part of the group of Volturi leaders as well. I read in one site that Ben Barnes is being considered as Aro. Also a possible fit, though I'd choose Gaspard over him.

Thoughts?

Voice JDrama of Ikuta Toma now Subbed!

2009-02-05T00:43:00.000-08:00

Good news everybody! Ikuta Toma's forensic science Jdrama, Voice, is now being subbed by the Giri Giri Fansub Group. You can download the video of Voice <-- here, including the soft English subs. The sub group has finished until the third episode.

Just a few things to whet your appetite. Turns out this drama is called Voice because as forensic medical students, they are asked to pick up the thread of voice that the bodies have left behind.

Episode 1 basically shows how the forensic science group was formed. The main character, Kaji Daiki, actually applied to be a part of the heart surgery department, but the head of the forensics department had him moved to his group, because he believed that Daiki had an inquisitive mind and a unique talent for observation. Ishimatsu Ryosuke, Ikuta Toma's role, is the son of a renowned gastroenterologist, and is expected to follow in his father's footsteps. Ryosuke goes against his father's wishes and chooses forensic science, instead. Not everyone is supportive of Kuboaki Kanako's choice to go to forensics either. The other doctors feel that it is a waste of her talent to examine dead bodies.

In Voice, forensic science is not a very popular field in Japan. People, including majority of the doctors, associate doctors with saving lives, so the idea of examining a dead body is perceived as a useless thing. As a result, a lot of bodies are left unexamined and are written off as accidents.

This newbie group is given their very first assignment on day 1 when a dead body arrives with an unusual set of circumstances. The group decide to go beyond the library and the hospital and goes to the scene of the crime to find clues about the case, and try to decide whether the death was an accident or a murder.

Episode 1 was a good one. We immediately see the different personalities of each character and the dynamics among them. Ikuta Toma is the outgoing one among them, and his sunny disposition is an absolutely plus in the drama. It's also good to see his serious side, which I believe will show up regularly as his conflict with his father starts to bubble up. We also get the privilege of seeing glimpses of Daiki and Kanoko's past, which contributed greatly to their being in the field of Forensics.

I must admit that I had tears in my eyes by the end of this episode. You'll see why. I recommend watching this show if you appreciate dramas.