What I like about the Twilight Saga (& thoughts on Breaking Dawn 2)

It would be sad to say goodbye to the final Twilight film without expressing how I feel about the four books written by Stephanie Meyer and the last film, Breaking Dawn Part 2.

I first saw the first Twilight film before I read the book. And when I read it, I was surprised how the film stayed close to the book’s overall feel, how the melancholy descriptions of Bella seamlessly translated into film and how it captured the polished sheen of the modern vampires in a small town backdrop, definitely credit goes to director Catherine Harwicke here. I could indeed imagine Forks, the cold and rainy town described in the book where she showed us to be and Kristen Stewart was indeed Bella, the clumsy, self-conscious high school girl and Edward the aloof high-school vampire. And she showed us how they came to be together together with a mix of suspense, action and heartfelt scenes. The first film made me read the entire saga.

In the first Twilight book, I was initially intrigued by the character of Edward. Eternally young, he had to endure through neverending high school, not a very good experience to many of us. And because he can read minds, he had to listen to the endless chatter of highschoolers in his head everyday. As a twist, he sparkles in the sun, do not sleep and is an avid pianist. Stephanie Meyer took a spin out of the usual vampire cliché of a vampire brooding inside a cavern, not being around people and igniting in the sun. She made this protagonist likeable and contemporary.

Bella, on the other hand was her self-conscious heroine. Many women can relate to this self-consciousness because it's trait that has not really left most of us even we’re past high school. Bella’s insecure thoughts about her looks reflect many of our own and her feelings of unworthiness especially of being loved by someone she thinks is beyond her league has been at one time been true to many of us. Ms. Meyer has indeed struck a nerve here.

But Twilight was not only written in Bella's point of view, Stephanie Meyer also wrote one in Edward's point of view, the unpublished Midnight Sun. I read the excerpts of it leaked on the net and it was good. It was different and dangerous because it was from a vampire’s point of view. It told us about Edward's constant craving for Bella's blood, that it almost drove him crazy and manic. But it was also touching especially when he realizes why he was being protective of her. I wish Ms. Meyer would continue with this book, it looks special.

The second book was New Moon and it was one of the Twilight books I read twice. It was the book when Bella and Edward broke up and some parts were wrenching. Certain scenes still struck to mind in this book like when Bella became self-destructive after Edward left. She became foolhardy, riding on motorcycles and went cliff diving to rebel on Edward’s plea to take care of herself when he’s gone. And looking back, who can’t relate to that, that’s often post-break-up behavior for some, of course a tad extreme. But nonetheless just as real. And excerpts of her stirring thoughts resulting to her decision not to take his friendship to Jacob Black a step further was insightful too, especially her realization that her feelings for him wouldn't compare to the gravity of her feelings for Edward. Simple prose but a lot of meaning. No beating around the bush, just stark, naked feelings exposed to readers without the intricate veil of intellectual or highfalutin words to blur it.

Then there was Eclipse. I love the scene in the chilly mountain inside the tent with the three of them there. When Edward had to bristly endure the sight of Jacob comforting Bella, wrapping her in his arms because his body was warmer than Edward’s cold marble-like skin. And then there’s the conversation between the two men while Bella was sleeping which was funny and heartwarming. The scenes in the book felt more real and I'm glad I read it first before watching the film.

Meanwhile, Breaking Dawn was not my favorite book in the saga. It was not only long but it had too many characters in it. I also didn't appreciate the gory bits when Bella almost died giving birth. Lastly, I also didn't like that the battle never happened after all the preparations they mustered in meeting the Volturi, it was a let-down. Moreover, Breaking Dawn Part 1, the movie was not that exceptional too, it was a little dragging even if this was the movie where Edward and Bella got married.

So it’s a good thing Breaking Dawn the movie part 2 was well worth it, a satisfying ending to this beautiful and exciting love story. Interspersed with the melody of Carter Burwell, it was poignant send-off, a final wave to your favorite Twilight characters. They also made a twist to it, letting us peek if a battle happened. I also love Bella’s transformation here, from a meek lamb to a ferocious and breathtaking predator. Edward’s character also become more endearing as a father protecting his daughter and as a husband momentarily taking a step back as her wife gains power and shines on her own. 

.

After all of that, I’m therefore quite dumbfounded by a lot of Twilight haters out there. These days they are more pronounced, giving us the impression that liking Twilight is a taboo, that liking its books and the movies must mean you are a lovesick, mindless person all soaked up in gooey hysteria. I can’t understand that. I mean if men like their Star Wars thingy and their James Bond shtick, why can’t women like their Twilight? I mean to each his own, each franchise offers something to someone others cannot.

And for the critics, well, the bestseller lists and the box-office results beg to differ, maybe it’s not only how crafty your prose are or how cinematic your movie is that matters, maybe it's also how your book or movie conveys a certain emotion that the audience can relate to like love or heartbreak. Because often people want to find their happy endings in books and movies because it is their form of escape, their alternate universe where everything ends well.

So then it’s easy to see why most women love this saga, it's because they can relive the rush of falling in love again in the first book, Twilight, the devastation of heartbreak in New Moon, the dilemma between two men in Eclipse and the realization of that one great love in Breaking Dawn.

To end, I have read other YA (Young Adult) books but so far, none had the same effect to me as this saga. Yes, Twilight reads like juvenile prose but if you take time to read more, it can be engaging. And I won't cringe to say I'll will miss it because I will, I’ll miss reading it while my kid is sleeping and I’ll miss anticipating for the next book. But I’m glad it’s over too because finally I know that Bella and Edward ended up together, they defied the odds and are still together. And flipping the last page, I'll have that smile in my face because I know that they'll always be safe and happy in their own form of forever :)

National Museum Philippines: A visual feast

It’s been years when I last stepped inside National Museum. I think I didn't have a kid yet then, just married. That time, the halls were eerie and poorly lighted. There were hardly any visitors the last time I was there. But now, stepping back here again with my husband and  my kid in tow, I’m glad that it has greatly improved with better lighting and more than a handful of visitors, tourists coming in.

The National Museum has two buildings. The main one holds the famous Spoliarium of Juan Luna along with other paintings. The other one has artifacts from wreck dives and other Filipino memorabilia.

We first went to the building containing some artifacts from the wreck dives. It showcased a lot of old cannons, ceramic plates and jars which can be seen on different wings, dramatically lighted and well-preserved. I’m glad you can take a pictures of these but only without the flash on.

This building also showcased the different clothes worn by Filipinos back then as well as their different tableware. It has a wing that incorporated the Filipino bahay kubo (cube-like native house) in its interiors so walking on the bamboo slats felt like you were walking in an actual bahay kubo.

Then we went to the main building. We parked in front of it along with the other cars. And going inside I was glad to see the restored architecture of the place, the massive pillars in the foyer opulently lighted with chandeliers. All of this greeting you before walking to the main star of the place, the Spoliarium of Juan Luna.

The Spoliarium, the biggest painting in the museum is as always awe-inspiring. Juan Luna must have been very inspired to have made this daunting piece of work. He must have been quite moved by the abuses made to his countrymen during the Spanish rule so much that he had to paint this.

So it's no surprise then that Juan Luna had his own wing in the museum, an appreciation perhaps for his nationalism and a way to showcase  his other scintillating works. And I love it. He’s the closest thing to a Renoir for me, Renoir being one of the French impressionist painter I discovered on the pages of an encyclopedia when I was younger.

But other than the Juan Luna wing, the museum also has other awe-inspiring wings like the one with the white-plaster sculptures. And wow. Sometimes, I have to tell myself that yes, I’m in Manila and not in a museum outside the country. The corporate sponsors have contributed a lot in restoring the different wings in the museum and I’m quite happy that these works of art can be carefully preserved for more generations to see.

I also love the wing with the wooden carvings and sculptures, these being the type of pieces that resonates well to the Filipino’s love for wooden artworks, ones often seen in some houses and churches.

Then there are the paintings of other famous Filipino painters like Amorsolo, Manansala and BenCab beautifully showcased on the newly-painted walls. Its ambiance felt like being in a museum you see in movies, prim and elegant.

One interesting part of the museum is the bones section featuring the bones of a gigantic sperm whale and other animals. It had a more scientific feel to it but just as fascinating as the other sections of the museum. There’s no airconditioning in this area though so maybe bring a fan.

Overall, my return to the National Museum had been a visual feast and quite a joy because I was able to share it with my husband who loves history. Though, I would have enjoyed it better without my kid adamantly tugging me to go outside when he got bored and sticking his face in one of the cannons.

Because the place had a lot of things to offer other than paintings, sculptures and architecture, it also has dioramas and dramatic murals. I would love to visit it again (maybe without the kid) so I can leisurely enjoy the engaging masterpieces and marvelous works of art. Besides, on Sundays its free admission so it’s a great way to spend the weekend.