The Greatest Love Story of Our Time: Twilight

It's a love story, a drama, a comedy. It has action, special effects and, yes, vampires.

Of course, I'm talking about Twilight. I am one of those obsessed Twilight fans and I'm proud of it. I have seen the move over a hundred times.

I love the chemistry between Edward and Bella. They have an unconditional love that no real life romance could ever hope to have and I think that's why this story has become such a monster hit with teenage girls, and their mothers. Women are able to leave the "real" world for two hours and find themselves in a true love story.

Bella Swan moves to Forks, Washington, "the wettest place in the Continental U.S." from Phoenix, Arizona, to live with her dad when her mom starts traveling with her minor-league baseball player husband.

Once in Forks she meets Edward, who seems to be totally repulsed by her. He tries to avoid her but finds that it's literally impossible.

Bella is nearly killed by her friend's van in the icy school parking lot, but Edward is at her side, instantly, to save her life.

Jacob tells Bella old legends about his Quileut Tribe and the Cullens, and when strange killings begin to happen outside of town, Bella starts to put the pieces together about Edward. She confronts him and he admits what he really is, a sparkling vampire who manages to dazzle Bella, and every other girl in Forks, on a regular basis.

They soon become inseparable and Bella realizes that she is irrevocably and unconditionally in love with Edward and will do anything to keep him.

Everyone in Edward's family loves Bella, except for Rosalie, who thinks Bella is a threat to the family, and Jasper, still a new "vegetarian", who is afraid he is going to kill her.

James, Victoria and Laurent, nomad vampires, arrive in Forks, disrupting the Cullens' peaceful co-existence with the humans. James is so obsessed with Bella's human scent that he begins to track her down while the Cullens attempt to take her away to Phoenix to keep her safe. James finds her and tricks her into meeting him, claiming he's holding her mother hostage. Bella meets him at her old ballet studio and he proceeds to make a game out of trying to kill her until...Edward arrives, angry and sorry for putting Bella in danger.

The special effects of the fight between Edward and James keep you tense, praying that nothing happens to Edward. If you've read the books, that intensity is multiplied because you have probably already fallen in love with Edward yourself.

Edward saves Bella by killing James, but not before James bites her and his venom begins to spread through her veins. Edward is forced to suck the venom from her so she doesn't become a vampire, afraid he won't be able to stop because, to him, her blood is like his own "personal brand of heroine".

The movie ends with Edward taking Bella to prom (in her walking cast, as James had broken her leg). Jacob meets her there and warns her to stay away from Edward, which she politely ignores.

Bella tells Edward she wants to become a vampire, but he refuses to end her life, as Victoria is perched on a balcony, watching the two of them dance, and plotting to avenge the death of her love, James, at the hands of Edward.

The music is amazing and wonderful, with Rob having two of his own songs played during key moments in the movie. You'll also hear Muse, Stepehnie Meyer's favorite band, and Paramore, whose lead singer, Hayley Williams, is a huge Twilight fan.

Twilight was released in theaters on November 20, 2008 and I was at the midnight premier with my daughter. It was a huge success, grossing over $75 million on its opening weekend.

The DVD will be released at midnight on March 21, 2009, which I will be attending with my daughter, as well. March 21st also happens to be her birthday. She is just as obsessed as I am, although she is Team Jacob while I'm hard-core Team Edward.

Many Super Wal-Mart's around the country will be hosting the Twilight DVD release with games, prizes and an unconfirmed live interview with Taylor Lautner (Jacob) via satellite. Go to www.walmart.com/twilight to get all of the details.

You can also pre-order the DVD at www.amazon.com/twilight, which I did months ago. Check out www.twilightthemovie.com for the DVD and Twilight merchandise.

I promise you won't be sorry when you see this movie, but you might regret it if you don't because you'll be out of the loop.

Twilight stars sexy Robert Pattinson as the brooding leading vampire, Edward Cullen, and beautiful Kristen Stewart as clumsy, yet brave Bella Swan. Newcomer, Taylor Lautner plays Jacob Black, who, we later find out has a secret of his own. Nikki Reed is Rosalie, Edward's cynical "sister". Ashley Green plays quirky Alice. Twilight also stars Kellan Lutz, Cam Gigandet, Jackson Rathbone, Peter Facinelli, and Elizabeth Reaser.

www.amazon.com/twilight
www.twilightthemovie.com
www.walmart.com/twilight