So Maybe They Can Act...a Little

For Valentine’s Day my dear, sweet husband bought me Breaking Dawn, Part 1. He told me that standing in the line at Walmart holding only that movie and my valentine card was the most embarrassing moment of his life, and that is why I love him. Anyway, I am having this really weird thing going on now where at nearly 27 (ugh) years old, I am obsessed with this movie. Like, really obsessed.

If you know me well, you know that Little Women (starring Winona Ryder as Jo) is my absolute favorite movie. I could watch it every day and never tire of it. Ummm….I’m starting to feel the same way about Breaking Dawn. Yeah, I don’t get it either, but it’s what I’m going through right now. I think it has something to do with the whole marriage and pregnancy thing. It really tugs at my heartstrings. Ryan asked me the other day how I can simultaneously find something so stupid and yet love it all at once. I have no answer. All I can say is that the entire Twilight series/franchise has a power over me. When I am distanced from it, I know it is dumb and can laugh at its stupidity, but when I’m in the moment, I am all about some Edward Cullen and eternal vampire love.

So lately, like on a daily basis, I have been finding myself repeatedly thinking the same thought: do I have time for some Breaking Dawn tonight? Basketball season just ended, and while I am excited about that because I have my family reunited, it kind of cuts into my compulsive bloodsucker viewing. I’m going to have to work on a new hobby. But in the meantime, for a bit of a break from the actual film, I decided to watch all of that behind-the-scenes director’s cut extra stuff on the DVD.

I have to tell you, my cup now overfloweth with respect. See, one of my main gripes about all of the Twilight films has been that the acting is, well, terrible. While Kristen Stewart as Bella has grown on me, and quite frankly now I can’t imagine anyone else playing that role, her complete lack of emotion has always bothered me. After I saw Breaking Dawn in the theater, I was already giving her more credit, as I felt like it was her best acting to date. What did I even know?! After watching this behind-the-scenes stuff, I stand amazed.

You can laugh at me, but I don’t think I ever fully realized until just a few days ago that when actors are acting on movie sets there are a bajillion people in their faces with cameras and lights and about a million more just standing around. My frame of reference is always the stage, so I just kind of imagined movies being shot like someone filming a play. I didn’t realize that when Edward and Bella were consummating their marriage, there were a bunch of men inches from their bodies. How do you act wildly into each other with that going on? I had no idea that when Edward pulls out the speedboat and gives Bella that sly smile, there was a camera guy SMACK in front of his face. And I really had no idea that while Bella was giving birth, Kristen Stewart was actually strapped into this weird table thing so that only her head and torso are showing (the legs are a dummy’s) with a camera crew all around. I don’t know about you, but I would be way too distracted by all of that mess to actually writhe in pain and act like I was dying. Kristen, I’m impressed.

So I guess I need to give some credit where credit is due. Maybe these kids can act after all. They sure can do a better job than me. I’ll stick to sitting on the couch, stuffing diapers, and drooling over Robert Pattinson. That’s a much better fit for me.

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