WELL WORTH SLIDING DOWN THE STAIRS FOR?

I was going to be good and do a book review - I can't believe that, despite it now being February, I have only done one this year and that was a book I'd started before Christmas - but I feel compelled to tell you about the three DVD's Husband dearest and I watched over the week-end.

Feeling a lot more steady on my feet, I decided enough was enough and I was going to make it downstairs one way or another so, sitting on my bottom, I slid down the stairs hoping that I wouldn't suffer too greatly from any carpet burns on the way.

My reward? A week-end of DVD's and popcorn. Twilight followed by The Proposal on Saturday and Ice Age 3 - Dawn Of The Dinosaurs on Sunday.

Twilight. I have read the book (see my review by clicking HERE) and had wanted to see the film at the pictures but it just wasn't meant to be so I had waited until it was available to rent on DVD. As usual, when about to watch a book to film adaptation, I was a little worried as to whether the book would live up to my expectations and if the characters would be as I had imagined them in my mind's eye. And, even worse still, despite my expecting otherwise, Husband dearest had decided he wanted to watch it as well, if only to see what all the fuss was about. Now I knew it wasn't going to be his cup of tea but, as he promised to sit still and say not a single word until it was over, we sat down and pressed 'play'.

Did the film live up to my expectations and were the CHARACTERS as I had pictured them? Not really and certainly not.

I thought that as far as book to film adaptations went, on the whole, this film was quite true to the book HOWEVER I felt that many of the relationships weren't explored enough which was disappointing as some of these relationship details went a long way as to the viewer (and especially the non book reading viewer) understanding the 'whys and wherefores' of certain events. Also some of the scenes were a huge anti-climax. Take for example the speed with which we were told the vampires were able to move, I didn't really get a huge sense of this and as for the baseball scene? What a let down, how unspectacular was that? Though to be fair I'm sure this might have been a little more exciting on the big screen with surround sound and all of that - on the small screen it just wasn't anything special.

As for the characters being as I had pictured them. In this I was heartily disappointed. Now I know that this is a very personal thing and how I see a character in my mind will, no doubt, vary hugely from how the next person will see that same character in their mind, but almost none of these characters was how I imagined them.

Edward - I didn't like in the books and I certainly didn't in the film but for a totally different reason. I mean to say 'mean and moody' didn't come into it as far as this portrayal went, it was so over-the -top as to be funny. No, in my opinion the only character who I felt was realistic and true to the book was Carlisle Cullen played by Peter Facineli.

The second film film of choice THE PROPOSAL was much more to our taste but then I had expected that as (1) it was a comedy and (2) it starred Sandra Bullock doing what in my opinion she does best, playing a somewhat goofy character.

And so onto Sunday and the final DVD of the week-end which was probably my favourite. ICE AGE 3 - DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS. Truly funny, with amazing animation and the wonderful addition of new character Buck, I loved this film which was great all round family entertainment suitable for the little ones though it did contain some 'mild comic peril' whilst at the same time having enough subtle innuendo to keep us adults happy.

Click HERE to see Scrat in his quest for that all elusive acorn.

UMM, that's a new one on me, how did that happen? Despite it still being only the 31st of January here in England and my scheduling this post for the 1st of February it has been published now - strange. Still, I suppose by the time many of you read this it will be February making my comment pretty irrelevant so I'll shut up now, shall I?