Mormon Muffins at Twilight
Just for fun, I’ve been meaning to write a post about this calendar, which features beautiful Mormon women in varying stages of culinary dress and undress. And, for even more fun and games, I’ll throw in my opinion of the Twilight movie: “New Moon”.
So, the Mormon Muffins calendar.
- The average age of the women in the calendar is around 35 years old, and one of the women is a 53 year old breast cancer survivor. These muffins are definitely more mature and modest than the average muffin found in, say, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar. These Mormon Muffins are more like the luscious, delectable Costco muffins that satisfy and fill you up until dinner time, instead of the skimpy, stingy mini-muffins that leave you hungry even after you pop the entire tray of them into your mouth.
- I bet a muffin or two that Chad Hardy would never have been excommunicated for the Mormon Muffins calendar without the Men on a Mission calendar. Sexy, half-dressed former male missionaries are a huge no-no. It says it right here in Mormon Doctrine. Or maybe that was in the Miracle of Forgiveness. Hmmm.
New Moon
- I found it difficult to follow the storyline (such as it is) because I hadn’t seen or read the first book or movie.
- First laugh out loud moment: Edward Cullen (the vampire) parking his Volvo SUV in the high school parking lot then striding over to his girlfriend, Bella, in all his chalky-skin, red lipped glory, while accompanied by the song “Monsters“. Subtlety was never Hollywood’s strong suit, but “Monsters”?! LOL.
- First WTHell moment: when Edward tells Bella he doesn’t love her and is going to leave her forever, she gives him a blank stare for a minute or two, mumbles something inaudible, and then wanders off into the woods. If Bella loves Edward enough to want to become a violent, bloodthirsty, vampire (like Jasper), I don’t understand why she didn’t at least cry a few tears when Edward tells her he never wants to see her again. Heh.
- Next favorite scene in the woods: the dream sequence when Edward and Bella are frolicking through the trees together, exchanging long looks of love and lust over their shoulders as they bounce around in slow motion. Reminded me of a tampon commercial.
- More Michael Sheen, please!
- No comment on Taylor Lautner. Well, other than he’s 16 years old.
- In all seriousness, I could not for the life of me understand why anyone would be attracted to any of these characters. Especially Bella. All the moping, the long sighs, the sad faces burdened with despair and despondency, and this was when she and Edward were together - supposedly the happiest time of her life! Her “smiles” looked more like winces than expressions of pleasure. And the scenes where Bella and Edward kissed “passionately”? Well, they just grossed me out. Sorry. I was really annoyed by the fifteen minutes I had to watch Bella using Jacob (the teenage werewolf) to fix motorcycles while she just sat there and stared off into the distance wallowing in her superficial ennui. At least she paid the pizza delivery guy, but for the most part, Bella’s character (the term used very loosely) is just a waste product (see #4 above). Who is she? What does she want out of life? Does her father even notice she’s stolen his credit cards to fly to Rome and rent a yellow Porsche? When I started wondering about the answers to these questions, I realized I’d started to care too much.
- I’d love to hear the back-story detail for the suicidal, sacrificial, thinly-veiled Passion Play with Edward at the end of the movie. Did I miss the part in the New Testament where it said Jesus was a vampire? Does Edward’s vampire bite give eternal life like Jesus’s crucifixion? I’d love to know what Ms. Stephenie Meyer was thinking on this one.
- Have to say Bella’s truck is the bomb, but she rarely seems to drive it herself. Instead, she gets chauffeured around by her friends, and then she makes them walk home afterwards. Rude.
- Overall, the movie reminded me of “Ladyhawke“, a classic low-rent ’80s movie with Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfieffer, and Rutger Hauer. The music, the magic, the meaningless dialogue - New Moon is all classic ’80s stuff. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed it so much.
You know, hawks and wolves mate for life!!!!!!!
Comment by SarahNicole — November 28, 2009 @ 11:54 am
I’ve read the books and I found Bella really annoying. A lot of women say they can relate to all that teen angst from their own teenage years. But everytime she complained about how lame she was and wondered how Edward could love her, I had to agree with her.
Comment by Susan M — November 28, 2009 @ 12:16 pm
OK, so maybe I don’t get the joke, but I’m having trouble understanding the feminism in your review of the calendar.
Am I missing something? I’ve only been to this site once or twice, so maybe I don’t get the inside joke.
Comment by Lucille — November 28, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
SarahNichole - haha
I tried watching Ladyhawke again a couple of years ago, and I had to turn it off after about five minutes. That awful music!
Susan - I can relate in the sense that apparently all you need to do to be popular or “interesting” in high school is to wear expensive clothes, drive fancy new cars, and sit around looking pretty. I guess some things never change.
Lucille - yes, you are missing something. See here.
Comment by ECS — November 28, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
I first saw the Muffins image over at Mormon Matters, they had included the picture on a post with no context for the picture. I had to ask what the picture was meant to represent and when they told me I felt like that kid that has to be told the joke three times because my first reaction was, “umm, she’s not wearing garments; I’m supposed to believe she’s Mormon?” My bizarre prudish/orthodox reaction has forced me to give a lot more thought to the calendar.
For starters, I understand the erotic paradox that male missionaries, with their suited and buttoned down dress, appearing shirtless and oiled presents. Because it’s an obvious paradox. But what’s the paradox meant to be when the eroticism turns on the conceit that Mormon women are sex kittenish domestic servants?
And what’s up with every mention of the calendar including the fact that one of them women is a breast cancer survivor? It’s like a bizarre get-out-of-patriarchy-platitudes-free-card, ‘oh no, it’sw not exploitative, there’s a breast cancer survivor.” blech.
There’s more, but I’ll stop there. I have to go watch New Moon…
Comment by crazywomancreek — November 28, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
Bella doesn’t cry when Edward leaves because it makes sense to her. She never understood why Edward loved her, wanted to be with her, etc. (something the rest of us don’t really understand, either) so when he said he didn’t really love her, it was easy for her to believe.
Honestly, the books make the movie better because you know what the characters are thinking.
Comment by wonder woman — November 28, 2009 @ 1:11 pm
sorry, just realized how cranky i sound. i blame a late night conversation about 300; me: racist, homophobic claptrap, 17 year old son and family friend: accurate and glorious depiction of reality, me: shoot me now.
i didn’t mean to suggest that ecs is necessarily giving them a pass.
Comment by crazywomancreek — November 28, 2009 @ 1:17 pm
Just came back from the morning matinee with the RS sisters. OH! THE TEEN ANGST! I thought it was kind of fun. I see the ridiculousness of it and feel a little embarrassed for myself, but it was not a bad way to spend $4.75.
All I have to say is tan abs are better then pasty white abs….even if it is on a 16 year old (yuck…what a waste). Actually, that Meryl Streep movie looked pretty good that they showed in the previews.
Comment by Katie — November 28, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
I think that’s why ECS is right that Hardy wouldn’t have been X’ed for this calendar alone. It’s naughty to present Mormon ladies this way, but it doesn’t threaten the eternal gender roles the way his other calendar did.
Comment by chanson — November 28, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
cwc - not sure what the breast cancer survivor has to do with the calendar getting a “pass”? For what, exactly? I said in the OP how women in various stages of undress never offends nearly as much as men in various stages of undress. No free passes here. I just thought it was interesting that they chose fairly average looking women to feature in their calendars - and, like it or not, it is remarkable in this day and age to include a picture of a middle aged breast cancer survivor in a calendar of supposed sex symbols.
Have you seen the SNL gay Spartans spoof on 300? It’s one of the best SNL skits I’ve seen lately (which isn’t saying that much).
Comment by ECS — November 28, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
crazywomancreek ~ i blame a late night conversation about 300; me: racist, homophobic claptrap, 17 year old son and family friend: accurate and glorious depiction of reality, me: shoot me now.
Ah, but it was enjoyable racist, homophobic claptrap, and that’s all that matters. It’s even more enjoyable with the Rifftrax mp3 playing along with it.
Comment by Bridget Jack Meyers — November 28, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
Thought the books were silly and elementary, will not watch the movie.
Totally think the mormon muffins calendar is offensive.
Comment by Crystal — November 28, 2009 @ 3:05 pm
I wonder how Laurel Thatcher Ulrich feels about the Muffins using her “well-behaved women” quote for inspiration to do the calendar? Apparently, the muffins felt compelled to do the calendar because “historically, change has come from those who have dared to challenge the status quo”?
Way to blaze the trails of progress, Muffins. Snark.
Comment by Bree — November 28, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
I’m really disappointed in this calendar. I was envisioning something a little more subtle - more like that New Era pin up - not Playboy bunny sex kitten. Who is going to buy this calendar? It’s too much for most Mormons, IMO. Why would someone who already looks at stuff like Playboy buy it? What additional benefit would it provide?
(Or maybe I’m just jealous that the 53 year old in the bikini is way hotter than me)
Comment by Stephanie — November 28, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
Bree, exactly. yuck. See Mormon women can objectify themselves too!
Comment by britt — November 28, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
Ok so the calendar for me was just kind of eh, whatever. I like that they are more mature - but I thought it could have been done better. But then I love “calendar girls” and was hoping it would be like that.
But yes - i loved it - I have seen it twice. Once with my mom and once with my kids.
And I am a total twilight geek. I loved this movie. And lets face it - of course it’s better than the the first one. It couldn’t have been worse.
Comment by Samantha — November 28, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
Oh and I guess I am even more of a geek because LadyHawke was once of my all time favorites when I was a kid.
Even if it did have po*n music as a soundtrack.
Comment by Samantha — November 28, 2009 @ 4:04 pm
I think scandal, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
I saw the calendar at Mormon Matters too. It may not be what people are accustomed to seeing but anyone who’s ever been at a swimming pool or watched a soccer match or a basketball game has seen more. …and lived with their sense of virtue intact.
The idea that individuals are responsible for other individual’s or the community’s virtue is unreasonable and especially oppressive for women.
There’s no question that Chad Hardy and the church are in a tug of war but both sides are contributing to that. If Hardy had been left alone, he would have sold a handful of calendars and quickly been forgotten. The publicity the church provided has probably doubled his sales if not improved them much more than that and it’s upped his visibility and the visibility of his models — male and female — by quantum factors.
Comment by Withheld — November 28, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
Chad, Chad, Chad. The whole breaking down barriers, clearing up misconceptions of Mormons, broadening everyone’s minds–is anyone falling for this excrement?
As my first gift of the holiday season, I will be embarrassed for him and his “models” who, imo, exploit the word Mormon to make a quick buck. Lame.
Haven’t seen NM but will because I enjoy pop culture to some degree. I think both Bella and Edward are unattractive. Too bad I have to see their faces everywhere now.
Comment by Lupita — November 28, 2009 @ 5:35 pm
My teenaged daughter refuses to see the movie because she heard the wolves are mostly topless and she considers it a violation of her standards. Both her LDS and non-LDS Christian friends are boycotting.
I don’t know how common this is.
I am reading ECLIPSE, but will not read the last book. When Bella got into Duke (or some prestigious school) and won’t consider going, that lost it for me.
I just don’t get the RS sisters who love this series. I tried, I really did. There are just so many other much more worthwhile things to read.
Comment by Naismith — November 28, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
Mormon Muffins Calendar: Okay, maybe I am living under a rock or my naivety has reached new hights, so someone help me out here, please.
I know about the missionary calendar and I know about Chad Hardy, the excommunication, and even the Mormon Muffin calendar, BUT, (okay don’t laugh at me) are these women really Mormon? And if they are, how come their membership isn’t on the line but Chad Hardy got the axe?
I mean it’s terrible to come up with the idea but tolerable to implement the idea? I honestly don’t understand…
And I couldn’t agree with Stephanie more - to what audience could this claendar possibly appeal? Too strong for Mormons and others with similar standards and not near strong enough for those who indulge in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Maxim or the others I don’t need to mention.
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 28, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
“My teenaged daughter refuses to see the movie because she heard the wolves are mostly topless and she considers it a violation of her standards.”
Wow. Seeing a guy with his shirt off is really that bad? Hmmm… All the Mormon boys in our ward as youth who were on the “skins” team in basketball might find that interesting. And that was on the basketball team at the church house!
We just got back from New Moon with our five kiddos. I found it to be silly, mindless, fun entertainment. I was a bit bored and rolled my eyes plenty, but it was fun watching my teen girls swoon and squeal. It was pretty harmless except for the perpetuation of the myth that teen love will last forever and that the subject young girl will forever remain the center of the young man’s world. When will there be a movie that shows the ACTUAL life cycle of romance?
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 28, 2009 @ 7:26 pm
If you haven’t read Eric Snider’s rejected New Moon screenplay, you need to.
The dream sequence of vampire Bella and Edward frolicking through the woods was truly cringe-worthy. In fact, about 1/2 of the audience in the theater laughed out loud - and I went to the midnight showing opening night, so it was die-hard fans. But I suppose part of loving Twilight is loving the cheesiness of it all.
I didn’t see the Edward-in-the-square sequence as a thinly veiled Passion Play so much as a not-veiled-at-all reference to Romeo and Juliet. In the movie R&J gets a mention but in the book she really clobbers you over the head with it.
Lastly, Ladyhawke is pure awesomeness.
Comment by Chelsea — November 28, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
Wow Naismith, really? Boycotting a movie because of topless boys strikes me as incredibly prudish, beyond normal Mormon prudishness. Even the “official” Book of Mormon illustrations feature topless of men. And there is a reason in the plot of the book that the werewolves don’t wear much clothing, so it’s not completely gratuitous.
Comment by Chelsea — November 28, 2009 @ 7:32 pm
The reason why Bella has such a flimsy character is because it makes it easier for female (or male, for that matter) readers to slip into her place and imagine that Edward is in love with them. I really think this is the concept behind the series’s draw.
Comment by AllieKay — November 28, 2009 @ 7:35 pm
That may be, but it is her and her friends who made this decision, with no pressure at all from parents, so I think we’ll let them do their thing.
And I think it is healthy that young women can acknowledge and appreciate that some things do turn them on sexually.
We read the books, so we understand that plot point. But apparently some of the clips posted online made it seem that the guys are a bit more buff and exposed than necessary.
Comment by Naismith — November 28, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
The last few posts makes me think of my brother’s recent post about New Moon vs. Transformers.
New Moon vs. Transformers
Comment by Alliegator — November 28, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
I really hope we’re not putting down a teenage girl for having very clearcut standards. It’s not as if she’s missing out on some great film.
Kudos to Naismith’s daughter for deciding what kind of media she wants in her life and sticking to it.
Comment by Alliegator — November 28, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
#28 - I’m certainly not putting anyone down, much less a teenager. But I do think that it is a bit over-the-top and silly and I don’t mind saying so. It just doesn’t seem like this type of standard could possibly be consistent with the rest of her life if she ever plans on going to a swimming pool, a basketball game or the likes.
I do think this is an example of extremism. Just makes me scratch my head and wonder what the real motive is.
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 28, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
Nyah, Ladyhawk was better than this. At least the girl in that one had a spine.
Hey, and I don’t mind the Mormon Muffin calendar because it was an afterthought for the men on a mission/stud muffin calendar.
Hmmm… think I’ll get one of those stud muffin calendars.
Comment by A Paperback Writer — November 28, 2009 @ 8:15 pm
#29- I think it’s pretty normal for teenage girls to be a bit over-the-top and silly.
It’s nice to see that it does happen in the “prudish” direction rather than the opposite sometimes.
Comment by Alliegator — November 28, 2009 @ 8:22 pm
#31 - As the mother of 2 teenage girls, I can certainly agree with that!
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 28, 2009 @ 8:31 pm
I just checked out the missionary calendar for the first time. I don’t like the picture on the front page that appears to be a play on Captain Moroni. That seems sacrilegious. These calendars are just too over-the-top for me.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t check out their online stores. My filter blocked it as “p*rnography”.
Comment by Stephanie — November 28, 2009 @ 8:33 pm
It’s bewildering to me that other feminists are not picking up on this but I think the Mormon Muffins calendar is blatantly mocking the Mormon church’s sexist, restrictive ‘eternal’ and ‘essential’ role of women… ie that a woman’s purpose within the Mormon cosmology is for procreation and homemaking.
The videos make that patently clear to me… eg… the Ms Muffin felating the freezer bag of ‘last days’ muffins and stating, ‘the better you suck, the better the seal’ … lol, I think it’s brilliant.
Comment by barmy stoat — November 28, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
29-Swimming is different, unless you are there to oogle the guys, you are in a swimming suit to swim. I’m pretty sure the point of hte movie is to LOOK at what’s on the screen.
I’d be fine with a young man choosing not to go to Titanic for the scene there, so why wouldn’t we honor a woman’s choice?
It’s not like that series is about love…it’s about attraction plain and simple-physical attraction. Bella smells delicious, he looks like a Greek God, Jacob is all buff (how many times is that phrase repeated?).
more than once it has come up on FB as people going to see (adult married women) the “native american eye candy”.
I don’t think everyone at new moon is oogling, but there sure is skin to notice.
Comment by britt — November 28, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
OK, so Bella is a totally lame character. Totally given.
But what about Edward? He makes all the girls’ knees melt, but is he really so great?
I mean, he can’t kiss her without wanting to do violence to her. He follows her around surreptitiously. If she didn’t love the fact that he follows her around and spies on her, including entering her home and bedroom to watch her, he’d be called a stalker and a peeping tom. I mean, he’s totally creepy and stalkery (this coming from someone who’s been stalked). He smirks and says stuff like “you are absurd” to everything she says. I mean, no wonder she’s got a complex. He’s sort of a snot — he makes fun of non-vampires like Mike and Jake all the time. He encourages Bella to deceive her parents about going out with him and hanging out in her bedroom. He decides he’s going to commit suicide if she dies and TELLS her that (my stalker totally wrote me a letter that said he’d kill himself if I rejected him). I mean, this is one messed-up guy. I’d be really upset if one of my girls dated someone this creepy and manipulative.
And this is our big teen idol at the moment.
Comment by calico1cat — November 28, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
OK, and I don’t think Robert Pattinson (Edward) is really very good-looking at all, especially not with that ridiculous pompadour they’ve got him wearing. But I confess to ogling Taylor Lautner. By far the sexier (albeit not all that much healthier) guy in the movie. Though I haven’t seen it yet, just the ads.
And the reason you don’t go to the pool to ogle shirtless guys is that most of them look pretty average. The whole point of movie stars and models is that they look better than most. So, you’ll see a lot more lust-inducing flesh at the movies than at the pool. While I don’t feel the same way about shirtless guys (they seem mostly harmless to me), I applaud those teenage girls who are not going to the movie because they think it violates their standards.
Comment by calico1cat — November 28, 2009 @ 9:50 pm
Calico Cat - I agree completely! I took a class in youth literature and most of the students were already practicing librarians. Except one, the rest (including my professor) were all a-gaga with Twilight. I said that I had a real problem with this - that there had been someone in my school growing up (20 years ago) who was beat by her boyfriend, a fact we didn’t really know at the time or just didn’t know it was our business to do anything about it. (We mostly knew he was sort of mean to her.) So I think of someone like her reading this book and thinking, “Yeah, that is how my boyfriend treats me!” And then, not only do other people not recognize Edward for what he is, but her friends all think he’s so romantic and dreamy. And worse, so do her mother, the ladies at church, her female teachers and librarian. UGH!
I was told that I was overstating things, that I was being ridiculous. The *very* next day there was a report on NPR about how some huge percentage of teen girls (either 1 in 3 or 1 in 4, I can’t remember) are in an abusive relationship - not teen girls who are in relationships, but teen girls, period. I felt vindicated.
Comment by TAG — November 28, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
And if you haven’t seen the Target Women: Vampires edition with Sarah Haskins, you need to.
Comment by Bridget Jack Meyers — November 28, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
Calling her “silly” is not putting her down?
Let me be clear that I was not suggesting that others should follow my daughter’s standards. She doesn’t expect others to follow her standards. She doesn’t judge other who make different choices. It was just her decision.
Everyone is different about the media with which we are each comfortable. Last summer when we went to see the play Pippin, she quietly slipped out in the first act, waited until intermission and asked to go home. She did not feel good about it. Her sister and I stayed and watched it all. She never said a thing in judgment of us.
Actually, that’s not a problem; she is an athlete and spends time with males in appropriate athletic clothing. But few if any of them are as buff as those actors. And they aren’t allowed to go topless at her public school.
Real motive? Like we can’t trust her to make a decision on her own?
Comment by Naismith — November 28, 2009 @ 10:59 pm
Just jumping in to say that New Moon (just like the books) was exactly what I hoped it would be: the movie equivalent of a Twinkie. Fun, delicious and completely without any nutritional value whatsoever. I love them for all the escape and silliness.
And for the record, Robert Pattinson is hot on two continents, here and in Europe. Cedric Diggory rocks!
PS - Mormon Muffins strikes me as not impressive. My first and only thought because I was too bored with the idea to follow through the website was, “I couldn’t wear that dress with garments.”
Comment by Eris — November 28, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
#40 - It’s just a kid without a shirt for a few scenes in a movie, for crying out loud. There was actually a point to those particular scenes where the boys were not wearing shirts.
Yes, the character Jacob is more in shape than your average kid but that IS hollywood. The other shirtless fellows were really quite average. The movie, though quite silly, is very decent and not lascivious in nature in the slightest.
We can make ANYTHING seem inappropriate if we look hard enough. If this movie is inappropriate because there are a few scenes with boys with no shirts, then so are athletic events or any other setting where there are boys without shirts. Good grief, it isn’t as if they were showing men in a strip club.
And, for that matter then 90% of movies could be viewed like this. Her pants were too tight, her blouse was cut too low, he had a lustful look in his eyes. A little bit of common sense can go a long way to bringing balance.
I still think it is extreme. And I think anything this extreme is a red flag. That’s my opinion and I’m not going to apologize for it.
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 28, 2009 @ 11:24 pm
#35 - britt, I could expect that comment from you. I knew it was you about 2 sentences into it. It wreaks of complete self-righteousness…
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 28, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
LL, you better add hypocritical to that image you have of me, because my two oldest daughters saw New Moon tonight.
It’s a cotton candy movie. This isn’t life or death here.
Naismith’s daughter is learning how to stand up for herself and her standards, even when it means swimming against the tide. That is a GREAT skill.
Haven’t we all had moments in our younger days when we showed greater passion against something than it’s value required? It’s all part of growing up. I don’t think it’s extremist or silly, I think it’s a way of learning a fabulous skill set. I’d rather have her practice swimming against the tide, then just going to watch the movie because it’s really no big deal.
Comment by britt — November 29, 2009 @ 12:37 am
When I was in high school, I didn’t watch any movies that were rated PG-13 or R. For real. Now I’ll watch anything except torture-p*rn and regular p*rn.
Looking back, I think that standard was extreme, but you know what? I was glad I kept it at the time.
If Naismith’s daughter doesn’t want to watch movies featuring sexy shirtless male teenagers, I say let her have her standards.
Comment by Bridget Jack Meyers — November 29, 2009 @ 1:30 am
Naismith, sounds like your daughter and my daughter would get along splendidly. Mine has had strong feelings about male shirtlessness for as long as i can remember…and they didn’t come from me. her sense of modesty was inborn, and her standards are innately high. when DH and i saw new moon friday, my first thought was that my dd would definitely not enjoy it. (she hasn’t read the books or seen the movies…she’s only 13).
i’ve been under a rock and never heard of these calendars or their creator. and i wish stephenie meyer all the success in the world…couldn’t be happier for her. she doesn’t claim to be an amazing writer. she just had a dream one night about a girl in a meadow with a vampire and she wrote it down, emailed her sister that story, and then started the before/after parts from there and sent the various installments of the story as it came out, to her sister. 3 months later she’d written a book which has unexpectedly done beyond well. and presumably she pays tithing, so yay for that!
for me, it’s all just good fun. ♥
Comment by blue — November 29, 2009 @ 10:07 am
Mine too- if a guy is going to take his shirt off in a movie, he better look good. (And he did…1,000 screaming girls in the theater could not be wrong!) LOL- all in good fun…it doesn’t translate well in this medium…but I’m speaking tongue-in-cheek.
Comment by Kimberly — November 29, 2009 @ 10:18 am
Look this one is not important enough for me to fight it out (so, I’ll save it for another post after this), particularly when it comes to critiquing a young girl’s actions or standards that I don’t know.
This just struck a chord for me because extremism happened to affect my life in a tremendous way. Extremism instilled a great deal of naivity, fear and guilt into my teenage world, warped my sense of normalcy (particularly when it came to matters of sexuality/sensuality), and left me very ill-prepared to deal with the real world.
As a result, I was often taken advantage of, left feeling afraid and full of guilt and made terrible life-altering decisions as a result. I mean, and I’ve said it before, I severely repented of every pre-marital kiss (all two of them) I ever engaged in.
Looking back, and seeing how much more educated and well-adjusted my own daughters are, I just wish I hadn’t spent my entire teenhood feeling like I was under the microscope and feeling guilty for every emotion or thought that I presumed made me wicked. What a waste of great, fun years. And what value some common sense and balance could have brought.
So, it struck a chord with me. Naismith, your daughter may have actually enjoyed the movie. Of all the movies out there these days, especially ones marketed to teenagers, it is one of the mildest ones I have seen - no nudity (no, MEN’S bare chests are not nudity), very modest clothing, minimal violence (with almost zero blood and gore), and no cussing (unless, of course, you count the word “hell”). It even had some great moral lessons and hidden messages about chastity and the value of waiting, etc.
Hell, your daughter may even have seen a shirtless guy and thought he looked pretty damn good. Oh, god forbid!
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 10:45 am
Just wanted to say that I loved 300.
That is all.
Comment by Kevin Barney — November 29, 2009 @ 10:45 am
300, is that the movie with Lena Headey?
ECS
You’re trying to watch the wrong part of Ladyhawke. Fast forward to the end and the fight in the church. I spent many sacrament meetings after that movie came out(especially when the high council came to speak) wishing that somebody would come riding in on a horse.
Comment by Suzanne Neilsen — November 29, 2009 @ 11:42 am
I’ll chime in with others — I can’t fathom who would actually pay money for such a calendar, aside from someone with a really snarky sense of humor; a collector of gag gifts. I suppose it would be perfect for those white-elephant parties where people exchange tacky stuff like light-switch cover plates that look like a naked man…
But I do remember years ago, seeing a colleague’s picture of his rather attractive wife in a very provocative, low-cut evening gown adorning his cubicle wall, where she had hand-written “To my super stud!” at the bottom (like some Hollywood actress fan photo), and thinking THAT was pretty cool, and feeling a tad jealous.
Comment by Rich — November 29, 2009 @ 11:47 am
I read all the books, didn’t really like them and yet could not resist finding out what happens so I read them all. Weird, huh?
What creeps me out most about the books is that, despite his appearance, Edward is a 109-year-old man who lusts after a teenage girl. Ewwww.
Comment by Lauren — November 29, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
Hey, if the girl doesn’t want to go to a movie because the guys are shirtless, no big deal. It could be she’s learning to repress herself to the point where she’ll be paranoid about sex for the rest of her life, married or not. (Lots of girls from my era did that. And yeah, I probably wouldn’t have gone to see guys sans shirts at her age either, trying to be the most extrovertedly righteous girl in my seminary class and thinking God would bless me for my efforts.) Or it could be that she’s truly embarrassed and not ready to deal with shirtless guys who look a whole lot better than the boys on the ward basketball team (and in fact are about as unrealistic as playboy bunny models are).
Now, if the girl in question said she wouldn’t see the movie because it glorified abusive relationships and weak women, then I would truly stand and applaud her.
However, at least she’s not seeing the abuse. And a good choice for a not-so-hot reason is still lots better than a bad choice, so leave her alone and let her make her own choices.
Comment by A Paperback Writer — November 29, 2009 @ 12:39 pm
I just have to post and say how happy it makes me that so many people remember Ladyhawke. That was THE favourite movie of my youth.
and… I like the music in it… *hides in shame*
PS in the Ladyhawke credits, the horse trainer is named Manuela Estrella Beeloo. I bet NM doesn’t have a name nearly that awesome in its credits
Comment by Emma — November 29, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
That was a Friesian horse, Rutger Hauer was riding, no? Awesome animals. I loved that movie too.
Comment by Rich — November 29, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
Sure was Rich. The few Friesians I have worked with in my life were just as spectacular looking as Goliath. Some of them were pitifully stupid, but you can’t have it all, I guess.
Comment by Emma — November 29, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
I don’t think the calendars are mocking any kind of stereotypical role. The Mormon Muffin calendars are 100% buying into it, the tittilation being that these Mormon women are actually sexually rapacious while looking like perfect domestic angels.
That’s about a groundbreaking and radical as gloves and a chastity belt. It’s exploitive, both of women and of the church. Exploiting women is certainly nothing new - I just feel sorry for the people involved in it.
—-
I saw New Moon last night and loved every minute of it. My friend and I laughed so hard we cried. It’s perfect to watch with people willing to make fun of it. I want to do it again!
Comment by Katie P. — November 29, 2009 @ 1:05 pm
“It could be she’s learning to repress herself to the point where she’ll be paranoid about sex for the rest of her life, married or not.”
My point exactly, #53. Paranoia and hang-ups about sex during marriage and for the rest of one’s life is not “no big deal”, in my opinion. If I had a dollar for all of my friends who did carry these hang-ups into their marriages…
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 2:42 pm
What I thought was funny (perhaps intentionally?) was how the calendar website says that one of its intentions is to promote tolerance and interfaith dialogue. Like once your Muslim neighbors see that underneath your cookie-baking exterior, you’re really a porn goddess, they will understand you better?
I too don’t really know who would buy this calendar, except as a gag gift.
Comment by Sofia — November 29, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
Amen Katie P (on the Muffin calendar)
Comment by Stephanie — November 29, 2009 @ 3:23 pm
I love Eric Snyder. Even when he made fun of my situation several years ago, it was funny, to me. He’s a real breath of fresh air in our sometimes cloyingly stifling little culture.
Don’t forget that Bella made it into Duke only BECAUSE Edward pulled a few strings. That makes the story even better.
As to the muffins… eh. I’ve always been able to take or leave muffins. Unless you’re talking about blueberry muffins with streusel on top… but I don’t see this calendar as likely to portray much streusel anytime in the near future.
Comment by sare — November 29, 2009 @ 3:39 pm
Does the calendar come with recipes?
Comment by Withheld — November 29, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
Interesting article from Mormon Times: Mormons run with werewolves in ‘New Moon’
Here’s a link to the article:
http://www.mormontimes.com/arts_entertainment/movies/?id=11761
If you read the article, you will find that two of the young actors are LDS. One of them is a member in Stephenie Meyer’s ward in Arizona.
I thought this might be of interest given the discussion about the young men being shirtless.
Comment by Kalola — November 29, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
Kalola, good to “see” you!
Comment by Stephanie — November 29, 2009 @ 6:57 pm
Thanks for the reviews, ECS. I’ve contemplating seeing the movies because I understand they have a great deal of entertainment value, but I’m also quite concerned that I’ll never get those hours of my life back.
Comment by ZD Eve — November 29, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Does anyone remember discussing Romeo and Juliet in 8th or 9th grade? 14 and 15 year olds falling in lust and committing suicide and making stupid decisions? Part of the use of R&J is to point out the stupidy of teens.
I like how this movie brings up Romeo and Juliet (very obviously in the book) and makes it equally possible to discuss the romantic and the overly sentimental aspects of teen romance.
Perhaps New Moon is not great literature, but William Shakespeare thought that overly dramatic and stupid teen (and also older) romance was a theme worth presenting in his works. I don’t have a problem with New Moon exploring it. It may not be a textbook healthy relationship but R&J certainly isn’t either and I think it is a good thing for people to read (view) it and discuss. My sister played an excellent Juliet in college actually.
Comment by jks — November 29, 2009 @ 8:04 pm
Well, thanks for admitting that this is about you, and not my daughter.
This is a big reason why my daughter does not want to see it in a theater. The ogling effect. She is planning on seeing it on video at some point. Different dynamic without a crowd, and you controlling the remote.
That could be, but there would likely be other symptoms. And it could also be that she has a very healthy attitude towards sex, and doesn’t like objectification whether it is female actors wearing low-cut tops or male actors going topless more than is called for in the book.
I think this daughter actually has a very wise attitude towards men. She is one of the youngest children, and watched her elder siblings dating, and finding mates that suit them so well, and has talked realistically about the partner she would like to have.
I am not sure that is all of what’s happening here. I think it *is* a reflection that we are all different, with different things that turn us on sexually, different things that are a temptation, different things we enjoy. For example, some LDS couples like to be naked at home when nobody is around, one we know even has a walled in swimming pool outside their bedroom so they can swim together without suits. Other people only remove clothes for sexual encounters, thinking that makes it more special to them. There is no right or wrong to that one. They are just different.
Just because someone chooses differently does not make her repressed, immature, or whatever other negative terms you want to apply.
If she was trying to declare her way as the only right one, that would be a whole ‘nother problem. But it isn’t the case. She has not said one negative thing about the girls and YW leaders who went the first weekend.
Comment by Naismith — November 29, 2009 @ 8:17 pm
victoria ashleigh kennedy loves jennifer leigh kennedy
p.s. YOU are AMAZING and NOBODY can beat
you!!!!
LOVE, TORI
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 10:07 pm
Sorry! I left this screen up and my littlest said she left me a “special message” on the computer. She typed, obviously on the screen I left open. My apologies.
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 10:11 pm
Naismith,
You are right. I am sure your daughter is really a great gal and that I have drawn on my own experience too much here. I am sorry. Please accept my apologies - maybe I draw too many paralleles where there are none.
G’night all. I do love being a part of this bolg, even where I’m called under the carpet - keeps me balanced.
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
*blog*
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
Ha ha 68. That’s hilarious.
Comment by Stephanie — November 29, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
Comment by Lorian — November 29, 2009 @ 10:35 pm
Thanks, Lorian. I miss hearing from you.
Stephanie, can NOT wait to meet you next month!!!
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 10:44 pm
I think it is awesome that a teenager might choose to not see a movie because she thinks it is objectifying men (or dressing men immodestly) or whatever the teenager thinks is objectionable about a particular movie. It is the kind of thing that teenagers should be thinking about and experimenting about how their own decisions or inactions can/can’t or should/shouldn’t affect themselves, their friends, their acquaintances, the world, etc.
My daughter seems to have changed much in the past 3 months and I am trying to get excited about this new phase in her life. What kinds of things my daughter (and my younger children) might choose to get excited about or boycott is something not in my control.
I hope I don’t spend all my time telling my daughter my own thoughts about her likes being stupid and her impassioned causes being naive or ridiculous, because it will just end up ruining all the fun. I’m going to have teenagers for the next 18 years so I might as well enjoy it and see the stages for what they are.
Comment by jks — November 29, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
Touche, jks,
I have admitted that my remarks may have been more a reflection of my own experiences. I don’t think I need the extra beating, though I may deserve it.
I was honestly just trying to add balance to the conversation,but I think I may have gone too far considering this venue. After all, I am a wayward ex-Mormon.
Comment by Lawyer Lady — November 29, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
Lawyer Lady, I am looking forward to meeting you and the other Texas FMHers, too! (FYI FMHers - post coming soon. Just trying to nail down a place. Any suggestions would be appreciated)
Comment by Stephanie — November 30, 2009 @ 9:36 am
77 Wyoming.
Comment by crazywomancreek — November 30, 2009 @ 10:33 am
CWC
I love ya!
Comment by Stephanie — November 30, 2009 @ 11:56 am
I was under the impression that the excommunication was for more than just the calendar. He was probably doing other things and then used it for publicity.
I took my class on a field trip to Twilight, so I have no credibility on that topic.
Comment by Jill — November 30, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
Speaking of NM and things Twilight related, have you seen this article?
http://bitchmagazine.org/article/bite-me-or-dont
And #23, that screenplay was hilarious
Comment by Theolina — November 30, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
It annoys me sooooooooo much when feminists try to take porn (soft or otherwise) and claim it (because then its somehow becomes less offensive). Kind of like, I’m such a cool girlfriend because I buy my man playboys. :/
I think the calendars are gross. Its not just kitschy cute, its got trashy porno vibes. I don’t care how old they are, its inappropriate. Surely there are other ways to raise money for breast cancer that doesn’t strip you of your dignity. (I wonder what their husbands think of this? Or better yet, their KIDS?)
I’m not a prude…I think boudoir pictures are awesome (when held private between man & wife) and I’m all for being sexy and attractive, even at 35 *gasp*, but this is just awful.
Comment by anon — December 1, 2009 @ 3:51 am
That’s the whole first movie, and actually any role I’ve seen that actress play.
Comment by jjohnsen — December 1, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
My daughter tells me that Taylor Swift is dating Taylor Lautner. Should we have her arrested?
(Oh wait, she’s a good girl, she says…)
Comment by queuno — December 1, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
Thank-You, Thank-you for this post! I was beginning to feel like the onley woman on earth who detests this book for all the right reasons! I read the first book in this series and as an avid reader just couldn’t subject myself to any more. There are so many character problems I don’t know where to begin and no new ideas in terms of vampires! I just really wanted to go read some Anne Rice after to make myself feel better.
My inner feminist cannot support anything about Bella’s character and I can tell you while I am thrilled these books atleast got many teenagers reading again, I am not thrilled about the overall message being sent to our girls. Messages like; abuse and pain from a boy equals true love, for love you must sacrifice your friends, family and personal goals for a guy you just met… I could go on and on.
I watched the movie with my visiting niece and was so pleased to see her picking up on and rejecting much of this message without any push from me what-so-ever ( Thank God!) Comically, I liked the movie more than the book, which never happens, and even though I still despised the charcater Bella. Maybe my movie standards are simply much lower than my standards for literature.
Comment by Travelin' Pants — December 4, 2009 @ 1:30 pm
I’m going to comment on this thread since the other thread is closed. Taylor Lautner is on the new Men’s Health magazine cover. Is it weird to anyone else that he’s not actually a man yet? I don’t usually keep up with stuff like this. Are teenage girls regularly on the cover of women’s magazines? What does it say about our society that we put children on the covers of adult magazines because of how they look? Are we too obsessed with looking young? Are we holding up unrealistic ideas about how we should look as adults? Are we creative an environment more conducive to taking care of children? I am feeling a little bad for Taylor that he buffed up this hot bod and is now getting so much attention for it when he is only 17. I worry that it will screw up his mind (as has been done to a long list of celebrities). Or, is it fair that since this is regularly done to teenage girls (Brittany Spears, I would guess?) that it’s time it happened to a boy? Just random thoughts.
Comment by Stephanie — December 11, 2009 @ 7:16 pm
Wow, I am tired. Butchered most of that comment. One sentence in the middle should say, “Are we creating an environment more conducive to taking advantage of children?”
Comment by Stephanie — December 11, 2009 @ 7:18 pm