I went with Jon and my bookclub to see Twilight on Friday night. It’s now Sunday morning and I still can’t decide if I would rate it a 4 or a 6 out of 10 and here’s why: (there are spoilers – beware)

* I always think it’s great when an author/writer makes a cameo appearance in the movie based on their book (or movie they wrote – whatever the case may be). I think it’s a show of ownership and a stamp of approval, and with Stefanie being as protective of her books as she is, I was glad to know that she made an appearance. The problem that I have with her appearance is that it didn’t flow with the movie. Like Vanessa mentioned, Jasper was hardly even there. Emmett had one or two lines (no I didn’t count them exactly, but that’s sure what it seemed like). Even Alice was pushed into a corner (I really wanted to see her closet!). But then there’s a scene where the waitress (what waitress right?) has a full line giving some woman sitting at the bar (of the cafe that Charlie and Bella happen to be in) her breakfast. It seemed like a full 30 seconds that should have been used on something more useful, like a line from Jasper. Why couldn’t she have just been in the restaurant when Edward and Bella were eating? In the background?

* I didn’t like the wide-eyed look that Jasper always had. Come on – he can control peoples moods for crying out loud. Give the guy a smile. He was one of my favorites in the books because I always pictured him making the world a better place with a warm, inviting look on his face. Instead he looks like a scared little kid that is convinced the monster in his closet is going to kill him for sure. And, I agree with Vanessa again – very Edward Scissorhands. I will say though that my first thought was Ronald McDonald.

* If you’re thinking what I was thinking about Edward – that he was debonair, sophisticated, graceful, eloquent, beautiful – be prepared for disappointment. Sure, he was good looking, but beautiful? No. As for debonair, sophisticated, graceful and eloquent… well, there was a lot to be desired. You can tell me as many times as you want that he was only 17 so there should have been teenaged awkwardness, but come on people – he’s been 17 “for a while” AND he’s a vampire. I saw no grace in his step. At one point I looked at his shirt to find the collar all jacked up and the shirt completely wrinkled. That’s definitely NOT the way that I pictured Edward to look. As far as eloquent – it seemed as if English was his second (or fourth) language, and he was still learning it.

* Carlisle’s entrance, or maybe it was the focus on the entrance, was certainly intended to make me swoon. Instead I felt myself wondering who it was that showed up with the rubber mask to take a look at Bella’s near death wounds.

* Speaking of Bella’s near death wounds – that scene was done very well. It was, word for word, the way that part of the movie-in-my-mind played out while I was reading the book.

* I was also a fan of the baseball scene. The timing was great – not too long, not too short. Plus it showed how they all had fun together.

* I also liked the entrance of James, Victoria and Laurant during the baseball scene. I could have done without the previous entrance and think that time could have been better used with the Cullens. A newspaper headline would have been sufficient.

* The scenery was beautiful.

* Charlie was AWESOME! I hope he’s sticking around for the rest of the films because he was SO perfect for that part and played it like no one else could.

* I missed the wittiness of the banter between Edward and Bella.

* I know she said that she wasn’t afraid in the woods, but she certainly seemed afraid. You know how, in the book, Bella had a certain curious attraction? In the movie it came off as a determined rebellion instead. She always seemed angry, even when she wasn’t. She didn’t seem as innocent as Bella should have. It should have been innocently curious and falling in love fast rather than “you’re hot and I want to know why RIGHT NOW!”

* Jacob… huh. Ok. Uh… Really? I hope he grows ’cause otherwise we’re going to have a bit of a special effects need.

* Ug, speaking of special effects… Glittering sandpaper. That’s what Edward looks like in the completely botched meadow scene. I get that he was supposed to be made like granite, but smooth granite, as in counter tops. Not as in building exterior.

* And tree climbing? Where, in all that as good, did “monkeys” come from?? Emmett is NOT a monkey. And the tree climbing? Looked more like Spiderman meets King Kong. Seriously? Again – time that could have been better spent.

I LOVED the book so I refuse to hate the movie. I won’t go lower than a four but I want to give it a 9 or a 10. I just can’t. Will I go to the second one? Of course! Probably with the same group of people (Nicole – you HAVE to be there too!) and probably on opening night or the night right after that. I’ll just be hoping that they do a better job the second time.

Vanessa, Anna and DeEtte all say that it’s better the second time and Vanessa offered to go with me so I’ll probably go see it again sometime this week. I hope so. I was hugely disappointed the first time and I don’t think it could be worse.