Twilight

Directed by Catherine Hardwicke. Starring Kirsten Stewart and Robert Patterson. Based on the book by Stephenie Meyer. Summit Entertainment, 2008. ASIN:B001P5HRMI

Plot Summary: Bella moves to a small town near Seattle to live with her father. She quickly begins to feel drawn to the mysterious Edward. Edward is not like the others in the town and Bella eventually discover the truth about him; he is a vampire. They both realize their strong feelings for each other and begin to try to figure out where they belong together. When a rival gang of Vampires appears in their area, Edward and his family must fight to protect Bella and her father.

Critical Evaluation: This is a good choice for tweens that are drawn to the horror/fantasy genre or enjoy romances. The acting may leave something to be desired and at times it is very apparent that this movie was made on a relatively small budget. Overall however, the locations set a great sombre gloomy mood for the scenes and it is reasonably entertaining to watch. The lack of sexual content despite the romance element also makes it a good choice for this age group.

Annotation: Bella moves to a small town on the West Coast to live with her father. She quickly meets and falls in love with Edward, who along with his family, has a big secret to protect.

Author Info: Stephenie Meyer is the author of the popular Twilight series. She has also written novels for adults including The Host.
Curriculum Ties: None
Genre: Romance,Horror, Fantasy
Interest Level: 10-18
Challenge Issues: Some may have issues with the depiction of "demons". They can be encouraged to research the genre and read reviews of the book and the movie.
Selection Process: This is one of the most popular series for tween and teens at the moment.