'Twilight' Countdown: L.A. Times gives 'Twilight' movie a big thumbs up

It's here! Today is the big day.

Yes, midnight is technically Friday. But the point is most of you are mere hours away from seeing "Twilight."

I've seen the goods, and I can assure you, the movie delivers whether or not you've read Stephenie Meyer's vampire book.

But don't take my word for it. Here's what our pro, L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan, had to say:

As romance fans know, love needs obstacles to hold our interest, and in this egalitarian age, obstacles are hard to come by. The Oscar-winning "Ghost" of several years back had one lover living, the other deceased, and "Twilight’s" notion that he’s undead and she’s not is just as good, maybe better. Connecting this to the extreme emotions of the young teenage world, where every moment is a crisis and the chaste romance of passionate soulmates is more attractive than dubious sexual shenanigans, was the masterstroke that created a phenomenon.

It’s very much to the credit of director Catherine Hardwicke and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg that "Twilight" the movie really gets this. This film succeeds, likely unreservedly for teens and in a classic guilty pleasure kind of way for adults, because it treats high school emotions with unwavering, uncompromising seriousness. Much as you may not want to, you have to acknowledge what’s been accomplished here.

He even gives extra props to the actors playing Bella and Edward:

Hardwicke also was intrumental in casting Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison as the star-crossed Bella and Edward, and those choices were excellent, not only because they’re skilled performers but because they, too, threw themselves into their parts as if they were Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor doing "Camille" for George Cukor.

Read the entire review here.

And our Countdown isn't over just yet! Tomorrow I'll have outtakes and exclusive art from Gina McIntyre's interviews with Catherine Hardwicke and Kristen Stewart. Her big "Twilight" feature ran in today's paper. Check it out!

I'll also be posting the best of the fan reviews here. So come back, and don't forget to send in your thoughts. I can't wait to read them.

Seeing "Twilight" on Thursday at midnight? E-mail me your review at denise.martin@latimes.com and I'll post a roundup first thing Friday morning. I want to hear all your thoughts!

And catch up on past Countdown interviews: Robert Pattinson (Parts 1, 2 and 3), Kristen Stewart, author Stephenie Meyer, director Catherine Hardwicke (Parts 1 and 2), screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, Peter Facinelli, Edi Gathegi and Taylor Lautner.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete "Twilight" Countdown coverage
Complete "Twilight" coverage on Hero Complex

Photo: Associated Press

Sonic Solutions acquires CinemaNow

Sonic Solutions, the company that makes the software for burning CDs and DVDs, today reached an agreement to acquire the online movie service CinemaNow of Marina del Rey.

The $3-million deal brings together two firms that had collaborated for more than a year on a technology for downloading and burning DVD movies at home, using Hollywood's copy-protection system.  The first products using Sonic's Qflix technology were announced this fall.

CinemaNow, a digital venture started in 1999 with backing from Lionsgate and Microsoft Corp., was one of the first services to allow users to (legitimately) download movies over the Internet.  It has since been eclipsed by rival offerings from Apple, Amazon.com, Netflix and Blockbuster. CinemaNow, a privately held company, does not disclose subscriber figures, but it attracted a mere 264,000 visitors last month, according to online measurement firm ComScore Media Metrix.

"CinemaNow was looking to continue to raise funds independently," said Mark Ely, Sonic Solutions' executive vice president of strategy. "Obviously, with the market today, it's particularly difficult to raise capital. It became apparent that a good opportunity would be to combine the companies."

Ely said CinemaNow would be combined with Sonic's Qflix team to create a new, premium content group, which will continue to pursue CinemaNow's strategy of embedding a video store on consumer devices.

"We're trying to essentially provide PC and consumer electronics manufacturers easily integrated software and services to enable movie downloads," Ely said.

--Dawn C. Chmielewski

'Twilight' Countdown: The critics weigh in

1 day left...

Excited? I'm sure many of you are going to Thursday's midnight screenings of "Twilight," and I can't wait to hear the reviews.

But what are the critics saying? Are the paid professionals, many of whom no doubt have not read Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" saga, buying into Bella and Edward''s forbidden-love story?   

So far, so good:

Michael Phillips at the Chicago Tribune is mostly pleased, calling "Twilight" a film of "intelligent strengths [albeit] easily avoidable weaknesses." He gives props to screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg for a script he deems "better written than Meyer's book, which tends toward froth and fulmination. (Sample line: 'I was in danger of being distracted by his livid, glorious face.') [...] And she tones up her heroine, who was a passive Victorian simp -- pure fainting-couch material -- on the page." Phillips' biggest beef? The special effects, which he equates to "a weaker episode from season six of 'Charmed.' "

Metromix.com's Geoff Berkshire also says Rosenberg succeeds in upping the ante of Meyer's book but comes up split on leads Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson: "As far as human-vampire romances go 'Twilight' has nothing on the best seasons of TV’s 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' but director Catherine Hardwicke’s cinematic vision is blessedly (sorry, hardcore Twilighters) a lot more enjoyable than Meyer’s clunky prose. Major props to Stewart, who refuses to turn Bella into a lovestruck sap, and anchors the movie with the ease and authority of both a great actress and a true movie star. The same can’t be said just yet for her much drooled over co-star. Pattinson takes some admirable risks to shift his character away from the stereotypical brooding rebel, but whether his career follows the teen idol lead of Johnny Depp or Luke Perry is open for debate."

Rick Bentley of the Detroit Free Press thinks both actors did a fine job, saying: "Their work should silence many of the critics." "Pattinson makes brooding a science. And Stewart finds the right blend of strength and vulnerability to play Bella. The supporting cast is strong, especially Nikki Reed as the headstrong Rosalie and Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria. And the non-vampire high school students are the best supporting cast in a vampire tale since the days of 'Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.'" But again, those pesky low-budget effects are a problem: "The special abilities of the vampires, such as super speed, looks gimmicky. Scenes in which Edward races or flies through the forest come across as bad puppet theater."

Disney embraces Imax

e

Walt Disney Co. doubled down on its commitment to 3-D, signing a deal to release five pictures on Imax giant screens.

Director Robert Zemeckis' "A Christmas Carol," a 3-D retelling of the classic Charles Dickens tale due out for the 2009 holiday season, is the first film slated for Imax release.

The director will use the same motion-capture technology and computer-generated images he popularized with the film  "Polar Express" to re-create 19th century London and the performance of actor Jim Carrey.

"What Bob Zemeckis is attempting to do is really break new ground," said Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group. "Putting together this fanciful world, and then showing it on the giant screen in 3-D, we think it's going to be a completely immersive experience."

Disney has made a serious commitment to 3-D, which it believes provides a compelling enough experience to coax viewers off their couches and into theaters. The latest Disney animated film, "Bolt," which hits theaters this weekend, is the fifth major film in the format. Disney's "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" grossed more than $65 million -- and the release of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D" did even more -- $75 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Zoradi said the studio planned to release 11 films in 3-D over the next two years, including the "Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Movie"  in February, Disney Pixar's film "UP" in May and the Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer film "G-Force" in July. The studio also announced today that it would re-render its Oscar-winning animated film "Beauty and the Beast" for 3-D release in 2010.

The agreement with Imax increases the number of screens capable of showing the films beyond those theaters using Real D's technology.

Imax Corp. co-Chairman and co-CEO Richard L. Gelfond said his company's decision to embrace digital projection laid the groundwork for the Disney deal.

The previous film-based system was a major obstacle, because prints cost $45,000 apiece. That tended to limit releases to event films such as "Polar Express," which did $45 million in the first year of release on Imax screens.

"If you're a studio, [now] you can get access to this very significant box office and a premium experience, where people are willing to pay a premium price, and you don't really have the incremental costs of prints which you used to have," Gelfond said.

-- Dawn C. Chmielewski

-- Bolt, the super dog, is accompanied by Mittens the cat and Rhino the hamster in a scene from the film "Bolt." Credit: Disney

Alice would have dug the Web, we're sure

The Screen Actors Guild has added one more gripe to its list of beefs with the major Hollywood studios.

Having picked apart the studios' proposals on home video pay, force majeure claims, Web clips and jurisdiction for online programs, SAG is now highlighting concerns about payments for old TV series streamed on the Web.

The union has extended a "special invitation" to guild members who worked on shows such as "Maverick," "Bewitched" and "The Brady Bunch" -- that is, those who are still alive -- to attend a meeting Tuesday night at the guild's headquarters in the Mid-Wilshire district. The agenda: to discuss a studio proposal that would pay no residuals for streaming most television programs that were made before 1974.

That's the year studios agreed to pay residuals for future TV shows in perpetuity, replacing a system by which residual payments were capped based on the number of times a show was rerun and when it was created.

The studios contend that they've already settled the question of residual payments for pre-1974 shows and shouldn't have to take on additional obligations. But SAG maintains that actors are entitled to share in any revenue if some of the old chestnuts find new life on the Web.

That's just one among many issues that will no doubt surface Thursday when a federal mediator convenes a meeting -- the first in four months -- between SAG and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. And it's one more sign of just how far apart the sides are in their contract negotiations.

-- Richard Verrier

'Twilight' Countdown: Premiere photos

2 days left...

What do we think of the "Twilight" stars premiere ensembles? Rob's black on black-tie affair? Kristen's striking red skirt?

Check out our photo gallery of Monday night's fashion highlights.

Seeing "Twilight" on Thursday at midnight? E-mail me your review at Denise.Martin@latimes.com and I'll post a round-up first thing Friday morning. I want to hear all your thoughts!

And catch up on past Countdown interviews: Robert Pattinson (Parts 1, 2 and 3), Kristen Stewart, author Stephenie Meyer, director Catherine Hardwicke (Parts 1 and 2), screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, Peter Facinelli, Edi Gathegi and Taylor Lautner.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete "Twilight" Countdown coverage
Complete "Twilight" coverage on Hero Complex

Photo credit: WireImage

Sony braces for life without Bond

The firepower of the new James Bond release "Quantum of Solace" -- which blasted to the top of the box-office charts this weekend with a $67.5-million U.S. debut and has already racked up $250 million in overseas ticket sales -- must come as bittersweet news for Sony PIctures. Sure the studio, which co-financed the $180-million-budget picture with MGM, will share in the film's riches as it makes its way through theaters, DVD, television and other media outlets. But, just as the countless beauties whom 007 left in the lurch over the last four decades, Sony too will soon find itself out in the cold after "Quantum" fades to black.

As part of its equity investment in MGM in 2005, when it led a $4.9-billion buyout of the legendary studio with a consortium of investors, Sony inherited the right to co-finance and distribute MGM's Bond movies. Sony made a killing on the first of those releases, "Casino Royale," which grossed nearly $600 million worldwide at the box office alone. Because Sony put up 75% of the film's $150-million budget, it received an even bigger cut of the profit than MGM. A person familiar with the matter said the film made $150 million-plus, of which Sony walked off with more than $100 million.

But, by the time "Casino Royale" was released in 2006, the partnership between Sony and MGM had imploded. MGM's board voted unanimously to dump Sony as the domestic distributor of its DVDs after the studio failed to meet certain performance targets. With that move, Sony was also forced to forfeit its claim to the coveted Bond franchise. In its separation agreement, Sony negotiated to participate in one final Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace."

When Sony first became involved in "Casino Royale," the studio's movie chief Amy Pascal spent a lot of time cultivating Bond's longtime London-based producers and creative gatekeepers, Michael Wilson and Barbara Brocoli. Pascal worked closely with the producers on reinventing the four decades-old franchise with a more updated feel and edgier leading man. The suave, polished British secret agent portrayed by such actors as Sean Connery, Roger Moore and others, not only gave way to the screen's first Blond Bond, but a much grittier, three-dimensional character played by Daniel Craig.

So, what will Sony do without Bond in the house? No worries. The Culver City studio has several other macho franchise films in the works including such superhero vehicles as "The Green Hornet," to star Seth Rogen and directed by Stephen Chow (who will also play the crime fighting hero's sidekick Kato) and "Flash Gordon," to be directed by Breck Eisner (yes, that's Michael's son). Also in the works is an adaptation of the graphic novel "The Preacher," to be directed by Sam Mendes. And, let's not forget Sony's plans to make two more "Spider-Man" films and a sequel to "Hancock," starring Will Smith. The studio is also aiming to make more softer-edge family films to capitalize on one of the few growing segments of the moviegoing audience (see Monday's Times Business section).

That's not to say Pascal & Co. won't miss Bond.

"We grew to love these movies," Pascal said in a recent interview. "Obviously, we'd love to stay involved, but it's not our decision, it's MGM's."

True but then again, given MGM's current financial straits, never say never.

-- Claudia Eller

'Twilight' Countdown: Stephenie Meyer talks about the film's twist ending

3 days left…

When I spoke to “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer, she seemed in much better spirits than she had been in following the “Breaking Dawn” backlash and subsequent leaking of “Midnight Sun” online. (For the record, she says she won’t resume writing the book, her planned retelling of “Twilight” from Edward’s point of view, until the noise around it has died down. “I have to feel like I’m alone with it again,” she said.)

The author looked rested and genuinely excited about promoting the big-screen version of a story she’s been talking up for the past three years. And even now that she’s more in-demand than ever, Meyer graciously took some time to talk to us about what she misses most about interacting with her fans; how she argued with Robert Pattinson over his “emo” take on Edward; which moment from the book she fought to have added to the film; and her thoughts about the movie’s twist ending. (Don’t worry, “Twilight” fans, I didn’t include any spoilers in this Q&A.)

Has the divided reaction to “Breaking Dawn” put a damper on this entire “Twilight” experience for you?

Well, hmmm, no. You know, it was funny because I was expecting this sense of closure when I finished the rough draft, and I was expecting it again when I finished my editing and I knew it was going to print. But it wasn’t until the books were out on the shelves that it was done, and I had that sense of crossing the finish line, like ‘I’ve done it! I’ve gotten it all done!’

It’s sad when you can’t make everyone happy, though. It’s impossible but, at the same time, you still hope. You think, ‘Maybe I can do it,’ but you know you can’t. But gosh, if I had to rely on giving people what they wanted, I would have had to write 40 billion different books and even then, I wouldn’t get it right.

What I have to say to myself is, ‘Would I have done anything differently? No. Am I happy with how it is? Yes. Do I like to read it? Yes. Does this feel like the right ending to me? Yes.’ I’ve always written for myself. ‘Breaking Dawn’ was no exception.

The bigger things get, the more haters there are. It’s not about the books, it’s about everything they can find to pick on you about. That just seems to be how society is and it’s kind of sad. For myself, I don’t spend time on things I hate, you know? It kills me. There’s so little time, spend it with what you love.

But has the reaction changed how you interact with fans? Or how much you interact with them?

That had already started to change because it’s now a volume thing. When I started out, I’d do an event, 40 people would show up and we could have this big conversation and really get to know each other. I knew who they were and I actually corresponded with quite a few of them because I could. But then things got busier and busier and it got overwhelming. At a signing, I can barely say ‘Hi!’ to people. And that’s no fun. I really don’t enjoy that. I know people want their books signed and it’s worth it to them, but it feels horrible to me. I can’t find out what your name is or who you are and what you’re about. I don’t like that. So that’s changed and that’s a little sad. It’s great to have things be successful, but there are sacrifices that come with it.

Was there any one actor in the film that you came the closest to your vision for their character while you were writing “Twilight“?

On first look, the one that really jumped out was Ashley Greene as Alice. I saw a picture of her and just thought, ‘You found Alice! Oh my gosh!’ On the set, the person who really exceeded expectations was Rob. I didn’t think anyone could get that close to Edward. I mean, I knew he was going to do a good job, and he has this great look, but I’d seen him as Rob himself and I couldn‘t picture it.

The thing is he looks different when he does characters. When you watch the films that he’s done, you might not be able to put together with the same person because he’s such a chameleon. There were times where he was just being Rob and then you’d hear 'Action!’ and he’d step into character -- and he’d look different! He’d like sound like Edward! It was crazy. He did such a good job.

Earlier at a press conference, though, you mentioned that you butted heads with Rob over how each of you saw Edward.

Oh yeah! That was a worry! He’d sit there arguing with me telling me I’m wrong about this character. He thinks Edward is a lot more depressed than I do. He thinks Edward is on the point of suicide. I’m like, ‘No! He’s got his family that he loves. He‘s got Carlisle.’ And Rob would go (putting on a British accent), ‘Well, why does he like Carlisle so much? This man changed him into a vampire! What are you thinking?’ (Laughs) There were very intense conversations. But it was hysterical after the fact. I was worried though. I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s going to go in there and play Edward like Edward The Emo. Nooooooooo.’ But he didn’t! And it’s exactly what I wanted to see. It was crazy, but he got it. It’s on the screen and that’s all that matters.

'Twilight' Countdown: Will the sequels get made?

4 days left...

As many of you read on Friday, my former colleague and pal Steven Zeitchik at the Hollywood Reporter wrote a story about Summit Entertainment ramping up development on the next two films in the "Twilight" franchise:

The company has acquired rights to the next three novels in Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster vampire series and has hired "Twilight" scribe Melissa Rosenberg to pen scripts based on "New Moon" and "Eclipse," the second and third books, respectively.

Rosenberg has said that she would adapt anything Meyer writes and sources tell the Countdown that, in fact, she is already at work condensing "New Moon" into a feature-length script.

The movie's director Catherine Hardwicke told Entertainment weekly that "Twilight" would have to gross $150 million for the studio to give a sequel the go. ''This has to be a crazy hit,'' she said. ''Nobody can say that it can do that well right now.''

To put that in some perspective, the most recent "Harry Potter" film ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix") grossed more than $292 million in the United States alone. And the lowest-grossing of the franchise ("Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban") made almost $250 million in the U.S.

But the Potter movies are also considered family films, which appeal to a larger broader audience. A better comparison might be the female-skewing "Sex and the City," which in spite of its R rating made more than $152 million domestically.

It's not clear whether or not Hardwicke meant $150 million total (in the U.S. and abroad), but do you think "Twilight" can hit that mark? Is it a slam dunk? Are you planning to see the movie more than once to make sure "New Moon" will be brought to life?

Vote in our poll and leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Come back tomorrow to read my exclusive interview with Stephenie Meyer, who talked about missing face time with her fans, debating Edward with star Robert Pattinson, and which scene from the "Twilight" book she asked to have added to the movie.

***A note to fans in the Los Angeles Area: Today (Sunday, Nov. 16) Twilight Live and Twilight Series Theories will be hosting a live podcast from inside the Westwood Borders (1360 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA). Wristbands ensuring access will be handed out when the store opens at 10 a.m. so get there early. Actors Peter Facinelli (Carlisle), Jackson Rathbone (Jasper) and Michael Welch (Mike) will be on hand. The event itself begins at 1:30 p.m. with a concert by the Twilight Music Girls.

Catch up on past Countdown interviews: Robert Pattinson (Parts 1, 2 and 3), Kristen Stewart, director Catherine Hardwicke (Parts 1 and 2), screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, Peter Facinelli, Edi Gathegi and Taylor Lautner.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete "Twilight" Countdown coverage
Complete "Twilight" coverage on Hero Complex

Photo: Fans wait for "Twilight" stars Kristen Stewart and Nikki Reed at Hot Topic in the Garden State Plaza on November 14, 2008 in Paramus, New Jersey. Credit: WireImage

'Twilight' Countdown: Welcome to Forks

5 more days...

Before I get to the winner of this week's Caption This! contest, I'd like to direct you to a front-page story in today's L.A. Times about the effect "Twilight" has had on the real Forks, Wash., visited by more than 7,000 of the book's fans this year alone. (That includes the Countdown fave Geo from Twilighters.org, who blogged her experience on TwilightRoadTrip.com. If you're planning to make the trek to Forks yourself, Sunset Traveler has a helpful guide.)

Times staff writer Sue Carpenter made the trip to the tiny town and writes:

Sydney Conway and two of her teenage friends, on a school holiday, got into a minivan and drove four hours -- to stare at the nondescript brick building that is Forks High School. There's a weathered wooden sign announcing it as "the home of the Spartans," but otherwise it looks like most other high schools in the country. Sydney, Alexis Miller and Rebekah Hamilton got out of their van, stood in front of the school -- oblivious to the cool mist that was frizzing their hair and chilling their pedicured, flip-flopped feet -- and screamed, "Twilight!"

[...] Travel toward Forks' one lighted intersection, and tourists can eat Twilight sandwiches at the sub shop or rent Bella's Suite at the Dew Drop Inn. Many locals have played along with the themes in the Twilight books -- and business has boomed. "It's not that hard to put [Twilighters] over the edge," said Julie Hjelmeset, the inn's manager. She transformed the double-queen bedroom in this otherwise run-of-the-mill hotel by swapping the white linens and towels for racier black-and-red versions and resting imitation long-stemmed roses on the beds. Bella's Suite fetches double the rate of a regular room -- $149 per night versus $74.

Read the full story here, and take a look at our Forks photo gallery.

On to the winner. There were many amusing entries this week and, quite frankly, more fart jokes than I was prepared for. This simple one from Antonette was clever and made me laugh out loud. I don't know how else to explain why, except to say I'd get annoyed, too. Turns out mind reading isn't always a perk:

Jasper, Alice, Emmett and Rose: (Thinking: EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD...)
Edward: WHAT?!?
Jasper, Alice, Emmett and Rosalie: NOTHING!!!! (laughter)

Congrats Antonette! The runner-up came very very close. Kudos to Carol Torres, who got creative and made this image of her caption. Love it.

Catch up on past Countdown interviews: Robert Pattinson (Parts 1, 2 and 3), Kristen Stewart, director Catherine Hardwicke (Parts 1 and 2), screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, Peter Facinelli, Edi Gathegi and Taylor Lautner.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete "Twilight" Countdown coverage
Complete "Twilight" coverage on Hero Complex

Photo credit: Summit Entertainment