Yasmin Shiraz

I was so busy this week, I missed the People’s Choice Awards. As my twitter people would say that was a big #FAIL. But, I’m focused and I’m grinding out some other opportunities so I’m happy on that front. I saw a hiliarious New Moon spoof featuring Queen Latifah that originally ran on the People’s Choice Awards, so I wanted to share it. Us New Moon fans can appreciate a good New Moon laugh!

What is Jacob eating?

There were lines outside theaters across the country this weekend. Folks were trying to see their New Moon. And, hey, I’m not gonna lie, I had to try twice before I got to see it. Well, I finally saw it today and I liked it.

When I went into the theater, I was Team Edward, but upon seeing the numerous body shots of Taylor Lautner aka Jacob, I switched to Team Jacob.  Seriously!

What are they feeding these kids these days? The boy is barely 17 and his biceps had triceps and his quads were full of “Oh my Gods!” No wonder the tween/ teen set are all ‘goo goo gaga’ over Jacob. As for Robert Pattinson aka Edward – he shouldn’t have taken his shirt off at all during the film. I mean, I like Edward and all, but once you see Jacob, its over for everybody else in the film.

What did I like about the film?

I think the storyline was hot. The romance between Edward and Bella is off the chain. The friendship between Jacob and Bella is good as well. In the New Moon book they made more of the friendship/relationship between Jacob and Bella–and honestly, I liked that more. The movie didn’t adequately depict the closeness between Jacob and Bella. The special effects were good as well. The werewolves looked good but not fake!

Long story short, the film is worth the price of admission!

Robert Pattinson as Edward

I recently visited 4 campuses at the Florida State College at Jacksonville during my lecture series on the 10 Steps for Highly Successful College Students. During a part of my workshop, I talked about prioritizing and asked the students if they were planning to see the New Moon movie when it opened this weekend. I was trying to give them an example where they’d have to prioritize having fun i.e. seeing the movie or doing their essays/homework. Though the crowds were mixed– along racial lines– more white students raised their hands to acknowledge that they were going to see New Moon this weekend. Of the 70 of so, black students that I had seen at the 4 campuses, not one raised their hand to say they’d see New Moon. In fact, I had one student mention that they’d see Precious, the movie instead.

As an avid reader, as well as an author, and a black woman, I am a fan of the Twilight series. I believe the romantic tension between Edward and Bella is some of the best writing which is not overtly sexual.

Their romance in Twilight and New Moon speaks more to longing and a new twist on the Romeo & Juliet story, so I was surprised that young African American women weren’t interested in seeing the New Moon movie this weekend. I realize that college students are older than the tween/teen set that has absolutely fallen in love with Edward, Bella and Jacob but still a good story is a good story. And those books will have you reading to the twilight hours- no pun intended. I realize that the cast of New Moon isn’t very diverse, and in the Twilight movie, I believe there was only one vampire of color. Is that keeping black youth from flocking to the New Moon movie?

I came away from my lectures wondering if New Moon was too light for urban readers or if it was simply seen as too young for college students? If you are a person of color, are you planning to see New Moon in the theaters? Have you been reading the series? If not, why not? And, if you’re a college student, do you plan on seeing New Moon in the theaters?  Have you been reading the series? If not, why not?

I appreciate your feedback on this issue.