Twilight… and what is otherwise wrong with us women
By Roz Young April 1, 2009
I have finally watched the movie Twilight. If you are unfamiliar with this film (fat chance if you live within a 10 km radius of a 14 year old female), it’s a teen love story. A cheesy, cheesy one… with vampires! I like to refer to this genre as teen + drama = trauma. Matt and I discussed the Twilight phenomenon earlier today. It’s big, but it’s no Harry Potter. I haven’t read the books, but it blows my mind that anyone out there thinks that anything could be as big as Harry Potter. I’m slapping you in the face in my mind right now. Snap out of it.
According to my sources, the Twilight books were very popular with preteen girls and my sister
(age 26), but it’s really the movie that has pushed this coy little vampire romance into the spotlight. Interestingly, the HP hottie Cedric is our very own teen vampire Edward the hunkster (is this expression dating me?). And, he does a very good job of being all moody and hot. I looked Robert Pattinson up (and down haha), and he’s only six years younger than me. Not that I care, Daniel Radcliffe is 9 years my junior, and well… I’m incriminating myself here. Moving on… There’s plenty of teen angst and sexual tension in Twlight, but not nearly enough gore for my liking. Isn’t this a movie with vampires? Sheesh. I think Matt and I are watching too much horror these days, we are immune to moderate violence.
Overall, I quite enjoyed Bella and Edward’s adventure, falling in love, running from other vampires, trying not to make out too much… But then I realized that there must be something wrong with me to have liked this movie. And I put my finger on it last night. I have two X chromosomes, making me officially crazy. Having an X and a Y chromosome makes you stupid. It’s a theory of mine. But about this romance business, why do the ladies enjoy cheesy love stories? Are we all constantly fantasizing about stealing secret kisses with men (hey, or women, whatev) who rescue us? I’m getting a bit too Sex and the City right now, because I’ve actually seen the episode where Carrie ponders this exact question… And now I have an urge to buy shoes.
Sensible, intelligent women like to read romance novels. I know some of these ladies, and as much as I don’t understand it, I am not immune to the appeal of a good love story. Or the same old love story told over and over. With or without vampires. There must be a scientific explanation for the hormones and chemicals produced in our brains when women experience “romance”, but damned if I can explain it. So, go out and rent Twilight for a light snack of romance. Just don’t pay too much attention to the dialogue or special effects.