New Moon
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The Twilight Saga: New Moon premiered Friday after months of unprecedented hype. In the end, a solid picture delivered as advertised and almost lived up to it.

Having been a part of box office history, we've got our New Moon review for you here. Tell us what you thought of the film by commenting and voting in our poll!

As is our custom with The Hills, The City, The Bachelor and Bachelorette, the THG staff reviews New Moon, awarding and deducting points as we see fit ...

The feel of the movie is better than Twilight ... the scenery a bit less bleak, the vampires less pale. There's even some sun in the Italy scenes! Plus 2.

Edward leaves Bella after a birthday paper cut nearly gets her eaten. Minus 10. We knew it was coming, but thanks a lot, Jasper, for what resulted in a movie almost entirely devoid of Robert Pattinson. Control your urges next time, jerk.

Listening to the majority-female audience erupt at the first glimpse of Taylor Lautner shirtless - when Bella wrecks the motorcycle and Jacob dispatches of his shirt to stop the bleeding - was a scene out of a movie ... at a movie. Plus 19.

In Twilight, Kristin Stewart was great as Bella discovered love and grappled with its forbidden nature. In New Moon, she just kinda stares a lot. Minus 5.

Edward: "You gave me everything just by breathing." Swoon. Plus 4.

Jacob, on how his wolf pals in all their shirtless, homoerotic roughhousing glory must look to an outsider: "It's not a lifestyle choice." LOL. Plus 3.

Bella's "visions" of Edward aren't really doing it for us. For a teenager, this guy seems awfully lifeless, like even he can't believe he's doing this. Minus only 2, though, because it's better than no Edward, and he is 104 years old after all.

Plus 3 for the convincingly bad ass werewolf special effects!

We know it's a four-part saga, but New Moon is the ultimate Team Jacob show. Unlike brooding Edward, Jake has a wicked sense of humor that adds a new element to the sexual tension smoldering just beneath the surface with Bella. Plus 7.

Bella's dad: "Love who is good for you." If only, Charlie Swan. If only. Minus 1.

Mixed reviews on these Volturi peeps. Some are hard to take seriously, but the lead guy is evil and Dakota Fanning creepily sadistic as hell. So ... Even.

Man, Bella wants to be bitten so hard. When she gets on an plane to rescue her lover, it happens to be ... Virgin Air. Think that was intentional? Plus 2.

Edward finally figures out he was wrong to leave Bella, and slow motion, shirtless drama ensues. The theater explodes again. It's. About. Time. Plus 6.

Seven freaking months until Eclipse. Minus 1,293. But Plus 1,294 because if it's true to the books, it'll be worth the wait, and even better than New Moon.

TOTAL: +29! In some ways a letdown because its most popular star plays a supporting role at most, New Moon is at the same time sexier, darker and funnier than Twilight. The characters are (mostly) relatable and dynamic, and the action riveting.

Its biggest flaw was the PR machine setting the bar too high. Obviously, it's all about getting people in the door, but it couldn't possibly live up to the hype - especially for what many believe was the least awesome of the four Twilight Saga books.

What did you think of New Moon?

From all indications, The Twilight Saga: New Moon box office results will be absolutely massive on its opening night this evening (or technically this morning).

Anyone surprised?

Advanced ticket sales for the second part of the series have sold out thousands of theaters, projecting an $85-100 million opening weekend for the film.

The first Twilight film brought in $69.6 million its first days.

According to MovieTickets.com, an online seller, New Moon is the #1 Advance Ticket Seller of all time, topping Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Whether you're on Team Jacob or Team Edward, we know where you're going to be Friday night: theaters. Sorry, members of Team Volturi. No one likes you guys.

News organizations nationwide reported local theaters selling out, with many camped out for hours to stake out their spot for the heavily-hyped premiere.

Before even hitting the screen, 2,000-plus theaters sold out. Estimates indicate it already raked in $26.3 million with just its 12:01 a.m. screenings today.

That's an all-time high for midnight premieres.

When released, the final box office results are expected to be outstanding for the first weekend of its release, despite the mixed reviews it's drawn so far.

THG will be reviewing the movie after visiting one of those sold-out theaters tonight. Check back early tomorrow morning for our New Moon review!

Have you seen New Moon already? If so, what did you think? Vote below!

The talk show appearances. The global tour. The magazine covers.

They've all been a dress rehearsal for last night's major event: the official New Moon premiere in Los Angeles!

Naturally, the red carpet showing brought out Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Kellan Lutz and other stars from the movie. But it also featured a number of other celebrities, such as...

... Shar Jackson?

Yes, even Kevin Federline's baby mama snagged an invite to the proceedings. Can you find her in the gallery of premiere photos below? Click on each for a larger version:

[Photos: Splash News]

But, wait New Moon fans, we've got more!

FOLLOW THE JUMP TO WATCH A (SHIRTLESS) NEW CLIP FROM THE MOVIE.

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There was mania in Madrid yesterday.

There was sexiness in Spain.

There was awesomeness and alliteration acroess the Atlantic, as Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart continued to tour the globe and publicize the November 20 release of New Moon.

Something has gotten into Pattinson during this press tour, as he's actually been spotted smiling at every stop.

Perhaps that has something to do with spending so much time with Stewart, who Catherine Hardwicke confirmed as Rob's girlfriend earlier this week. Was there ever any doubt, though?

Check out the happy, autograph-signing stars below:

Let the excitement over New Moon truly get started!

The cast of this November 20 release kicked off its nationwide mall tour last week, as various stars will stop in various cities and answer questions from fans.

The beloved trio of Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner kicked things off on Friday, appearing in Los Angeles and putting to rest rumors that there was any tension among the group.

Stewart opened up more than usual during the press conference. Here are bits and pieces of what she told reporters and screaming fans in attendance:

Bella grows up: “What I really love about New Moon is that you see this girl build herself back up and by the time she makes this sort of rash decision to spend eternity with a vampire she’s in a position where you actually believe her... She grows up."

Edward and Bella break up: “That was the scariest thing. I was almost as worried about messing it up than I was about what I actually should have been thinking about which was the issues that Bella is dealing with. Reading it, it’s so iconic. There’s nothing like that moment in reality even. It’s not even like a normal breakup scene.

"I know what’s it like to get broken up with but I don’t know what it’s like to get broken up with by a vampire who I’ve now been physically and chemically altered by. Suddenly you take an addict, you take whatever they’re addicted to away from them and there’s withdrawal. So that was the most intimidating scene in the entire movie."

Continue Reading...

Starting November 20, you know where you can find the stars of New Moon: on the big screen. Finally!

But in the days leading up to the movie's premiere, as well as those that follow it, fans should set their DVR for numerous appearances by various cast members on talk shows and late-night programs.

The Hollywood Gossip is glad to help you set recordings for these events:

November 11:
Alex Meraz – “Rachael Ray”

November 16:
Kristen Stewart – “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien”
Taylor Lautner – “The Jay Leno Show”
Dakota Fanning – “Ellen”

November 18:
Robert Pattinson – “The Late Show with David Letterman”
Kristen Stewart – “The Today Show” and “Live with Regis and Kelly” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”

November 19:
Robert Pattinson – “The Today Show” and “Live with Regis and Kelly”
Taylor Lautner – “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
Dakota Fanning – “The Jay Leno Show”

Continue Reading...

Even vampires get thirsty.

And, as we know, those such as Edward Cullen try their hardest to avoid quenching said thirst with human blood. So, where does Robert Pattinson turn when he needs a drink?

To Vitamin Water, of course!

Packed with electolytes and low in calories, this drink is ideal for vampires that must save their human soulmates from meeting a violent end. See what we mean in a new commercial for the sports drink, which features clips from New Moon...

The director has already promised buckets full of tears.

Now, one of the stars of New Moon tells potential viewers to prepare for heartbreak and sadness. While celebrating Halloween at an event in Las Vegas, Ashley Greene described the plot as:

"Edward [Robert Pattinson] kind of breaks Bella's heart, so you definitely see Jacob [Taylor Lautner] kind of swoop in to rescue her. You get to see their chemistry and dynamic. It kind of keeps you on the edge of your seat a little bit more than the first one."

As for comparisons between Twilight and New Moon, Greene added:

"The first one is very much a love story, and this one is kind of more about heartbreak and healing, and you got the wolves come in and there's that threat, that danger. I actually saw the movie about two months ago, and it's really good."

We're sure it is. Below, we've posted an iconic scene from the novel. Watch Bella celebrate her birthday with the Cullens... until a paper cut creates a major family rift:

New Moon director Chris Weitz has gone on record: he wants his movie to produce more tears than any film in the history of Hollywood.

It's a tall order. But based on the clip below, it seems plausible.

Moments after Edward and Bella leave the Cullen home - where a fight broke out over Jasper's thirst for Bella's blood - Bella asks her pale soulmate for the best birthday present any girl could ever receive: a kiss.

Edward obliges, but the spit swapping is more tragic than tantalizing: he'll soon vanish from Bella's life.

In this regard, fiction matches reality, as reports state Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have broken up in real life. As you deal with that news, drool over the clip below.

When fans start streaming into movie theaters for the opening of New Moon later this month, they'll undoubtedly bring high expectations with them.

Director Chris Weitz says audiences may also want to carry a box of tissues.

"We've tried our best to deliver on the romantic scenes in the film, and I would like to be able to produce more tears than any movie before, if possible," Weitz told People this week.

Good luck topping Titantic, New Moon! We're still drying our eyes from Jack's heroic sinking into the ice cold ocean at the conclusion of that epic. Fortunately, his heart will go on... and on...

Weitz also said he admires how well the young cast is handling the constant media attention on their personal and professional lives. (For example, did you hear that Robsten broke up?!?)

"What I've realized is that they have a very tough job – not just playing the characters that they play, but living lives that are now very much under scrutiny all the time," he said. "They're smart kids... they've got good heads on their shoulders. They'll be all right."

Over the last few weeks, as we inch closer to November 20, more and more pictures from the movie have been released. View them all now in our New Moon photo gallery!