Admittedly,New Moonwas my least favorite book and movie. Basically, Edward and the Cullens leave Bella, and she becomes more involved with Jacob and the werewolf aspect of the series.
As someone who is Team Edward for life, I think it’s pretty obvious where Edward’s absence lacks appeal for me.
If you were anything like me in middle school, you were a bit obsessed with The Twilight Saga. (OK, majorly obsessed. ) Yes, I was a huge fan of the series, and it was pretty cringey at times, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t still enjoy watching the movies!
Earlier this year, I rewatched Twilight and shared some thoughts on that, and now I’m back with the second installment: New Moon.
Nonetheless, I still enjoy the movie and haven’t seen it in several years, so join me on this journey down memory lane as I rewatch The Twilight Saga: New Moon!
- Bella is so mad about her birthday at the beginning simply because she’s “out-aging” Edward and yet she’s. . . literally turning 18.
- This wig is still doing Taylor Lautner absolutely no favors.
- Ah, yes, English class is the perfect place to have a very private conversation about the time Bella almost got killed by another vampire and then watched said vampire get torn apart and burned in flames – very casual.
- The Volturi get introduced in this movie! I forgot about them. They play such a big role in the rest of the films that it’s interesting that they’re never even mentioned in Twilight.
- Oh no, the PAPER CUT!
- So much to unpack in this birthday party scene. Edward absolutely YEETS Bella back into the table, Jasper goes into full vampire mode, Alice tries to calm him down like he’s a rabid dog. . . amazing.
- I forgot how heavy everything is in this series. No wonder I loved it so much during my angsty teen years.
- OK, this breakup scene absolutely gutted me 10 years ago. But now I’m like. . . why would Edward leave her completely defenseless, under the guise that it’s to “protect” her? Also, why would he basically just ghost her leading up to it and then bring her into the middle of a freaking forest to dump her? ? ? ?
- But also, real talk. The level of codependency that Bella has with Edward is not healthy! Bella is a bright young woman and has so many options in her life, yet she thinks that Edward is the only meaningful thing in her life.
- Oh man, this montage where Bella is catatonic in front of her window for months – no, SEASONS – is really messed up. The fact that Bella’s mental state is never properly addressed is disappointing and really absurd.
- Seriously, if your friends or loved ones are behaving the way that Bella does after Edward leaves – reach out to them and please make sure they get some help.
- Bella’s an adrenaline junkie now just so she can get an occasional glimpse of the weird Edward ghost. . . cool!
- I really like the relationship that Bella establishes with Jacob before he joins the pack. It’s wholesome, and Jacob is the first person to truly care about bringing Bella back from her depression.
- I hate this weird thing that Bella’s friend, Mike, has with her from the get-go. She does absolutely nothing to show that she’s interested, and then the second that she decides to be social again (“now that you’re talking and, you know, eating” – Mike’s exact words! ) he immediately asks her on a date. Read the room, dude.
- Also, this love triangle movie scene is bizarre. Men are always chasing after Bella even when she could not be less interested.
- Jacob’s wolf transition happens unbelievably quickly. One minute he’s having a heart-to-heart with Bella in the movie theater, the next moment he’s ready to fight Mike. Like, it happens in five seconds flat.
- And then, once again, Bella’s lifeline is cut. Jacob basically tells her that cutting all ties is his way of keeping her safe. . . hm, where have we heard that one before?
- OMG, Laurent! He’s part of the “bad” vampire trio from Twilight, and he’s back to see if Bella is still protected by the Cullens. (Which, since Edward bounced and left her completely unprotected, she isn’t! )
- I love how the werewolves creep out of the forest so slowly as Bella is . 0005 seconds away from getting killed by Laurent. But sure, take your sweet time!
- Bella knows, as a fact, that literal vampires exist. Yet she doesn’t make the connection about Jacob and his “pack” after giant wolves scare off Laurent? Jacob is dropping hints left and right here, Bella.
- OK, so now the “wolf’s out of the bag” and Bella is hanging out with hotheaded, extremely temperamental, dangerous wolves. Absolutely no red flags here.
- Poor Charlie is so clueless about everything. He’s trying his best though.
- You can say what you want about any of the movies but these soundtracks slap.
- BELLA PLEASE DO NOT JUMP OFF THE CLIFF, VICTORIA IS RIGHT FREAKING THERE.
- Oh, and also the waters are incredibly volatile? Really bad decision to jump.
- At least we get this weird scene of Bella and Edward floating like ghosts in the water. Truly romantic.
- Sometimes I really want to like Bella and Jacob together, but he is just so freaking aggressive. I don’t care if he’s a wolf. It’s just problematic behavior and I can’t get behind it.
- ALICE IS BACK! ALICE IS BACK! ALICE IS BACK!
- Ugh, as someone who was devoutly Team Edward back in the day, it’s been so hard getting through the movie with such little Cullen action!
- “Bella, werewolves are NOT good company to keep. ” – Alice Cullen, speaking the absolute truth.
- Why would Jacob answer the phone in Bella’s home? It makes no sense! Now Edward thinks Charlie is planning Bella’s funeral.
- If you ask me, Jacob’s actions are unforgivable. If he truly cares about Bella the way he claims to, he would have given her the freaking phone. Period.
- The way that Edward just straight-up crushes his cell phone is pretty funny though.
- OK, so Edward thinks Bella is dead. We know she isn’t, but Edward is already on his way to get killed by the Volturi!
- All of this dramatic irony has me like, “huh, this is some Romeo and Juliet level nonsense”. And then I was like wait! At the very beginning of the movie, Bella wakes up from her nightmare next to a copy of Romeo and Juliet! Stephenie Meyer, you evil, foreshadowing genius.
- I love how quickly Bella and Alice get to Italy. Just a casual girls’ trip!
- DAMN Edward looks rough. How can a vampire – a creature that doesn’t cry, eat, or sleep – look like they haven’t eaten and have cried themselves to sleep for the past week?
- Yes, Edward, Bella is alive! It really seems like there is an easier way this could have been established.
- Oh, I forgot that Dakota Fanning is in this, LOL.
- I love how the Volturi live and dress like. . . every single vampire trope that has ever existed. I’m not even being sarcastic though, it’s kitschy and fun.
- Uh oh, the Cullens have been caught breaking a very important vampire law. Humans are NOT supposed to know about vampires!
- Ugh. I missed broody, angsty Edward so much.
- I remember watching this movie as a 13-year-old and thinking that the fight scene with the Volturi was absolute peak cinema. . . honestly it still is.
- And just as quickly as they got to Italy, they’re back in Forks. 100 percent believable.
- “Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve done in 100 years. ” Well it sure didn’t seem all too hard, Edward!
- Charlie is one of the best characters in this entire series and he is so mistreated. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: JUSTICE FOR CHARLIE! ! !
- It’s really irritating how quickly Bella can just forget how Edward completely ABANDONED her. Do we need to rewind to the catatonic window scene again to remember how damaged she was?
- OK, so now the Cullens have voted to turn Bella into a vampire. Edward does not approve. Honestly what does he expect though? Keeping her human is just not practical for so many reasons. Edward is just being unbearable with this “I don’t want to take your soul” nonsense.
- “You’re NOT gonna be one of them, Bella. ” Why in the world does Jacob think he deserves control over Bella’s body and life? Furthermore, why does Edward?
- “Marry me, Bella. ” Screen goes black. When I tell you that 13-year-old me was screaming I am not exaggerating! What a great way to end an absolute masterpiece of a movie.
Alright, there you have it! New Moon has a distinctly different vibe from Twilight, though the teenage angst is stronger than ever. Are some moments cringey and hard to watch? Yes. Is the angst a bit overbearing at times? Yes. Is it a masterpiece nonetheless? YEP!
