The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is arguably the most beloved installment of the blockbuster franchise and one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time. It’s been a decade since the last of the Twilight films was released, but it feels like only yesterday that we were anxiously awaiting the next installment of Robert Pattinson’s saga.
The premise of Eclipse is relatively simple: A vampire named Laurent meets a young woman named Kristen while he’s hunting on her family’s farm. After they have a bite, they realize that they’re both connected and that their passionate love is the key that will break the curse that threatens their community. Together, they decide to fight for what they love and decide to marry one another despite the dangers that await them. Of course, all of this leads to a war between vampires and human beings that threatens to tear the world apart. In the end, both Laurent and Kristen die, but their love endures and helps restore peace to their world.
The trailer for Eclipse was released in October 2016 and immediately went viral. Much like the rest of the franchise, the trailer was an unbridled success. It was liked by over 15 million people on Twitter and received almost universally positive reviews. It even inspired a wave of costume and makeup ideas, as fans wanted to emulate the on-screen romance.
For those that have been following the saga closely, it doesn’t come as a huge surprise that fans have latched onto the idea of dressing up as Bella and/or Edward Cullen. After all, it’s been 10 years since the last film and the theme of eternal love continues to resonate. Especially now that we’re in a world where love is at a premium. With Valentine’s Day only a few days away, it’s the perfect opportunity to show your love and devotion for the person you love the most. Plus, it’s always fun to dress up like your favorite character from a movie or book and add some extra oomph to your outfit. So, whether you’re a loyal Twilight fan or have somehow managed to avoid the franchise entirely, today is the perfect excuse to channel your inner Bella and/or Edward.
10 Years Later, Still a Mainstream Phenomenon
It’s been a decade since Twilight came out and although we’ve seen numerous imitators and crossovers over the years, it remains one of the most popular and important films of this generation. In 2016 alone, the films in the Twilight franchise grossed over $1 billion worldwide, proving that even a decade later, people are still hungry for their daily dose of vampire love.
When it comes to the impact that Twilight has had on today’s pop culture, it’s hard to quantify. Just take a look at the various Halloween costumes, makeup, and wig ideas that have emerged in the years since its release. In 2022 alone, we’re looking at an array of Halloween costume ideas inspired by the Cullens, ranging from traditional Vampire costumes to steampunk outfits, and everything in between. This is largely thanks to the enduring popularity of Twilight and the fact that its themes of love and loyalty resonate with audiences. As a result, we’re likely to see more and more characters from the series hit the big or small screen in the coming years.
The Twilight Saga: What is it About?
The Twilight series is ultimately about the struggle for power and survival in a world where vampires and humans coexist. The first film in the series, Twilight, introduced us to a world where vampires are not only a part of, but actually the majority. Due to vampire-human hybridization, there are almost no pure-blooded vampires left in existence. As a result, most vampires in Twilight are the ones to choose: attractive, wealthy, and powerful men and women who can control their predatory instincts and choose to live in harmony with humans.
This is in stark contrast to the rest of the series, in which the protagonists are often faced with extinction due to their inability to choose and in which vampires are portrayed as violent, predatory creatures that must be killed. In Twilight, while some vampires are indeed more peaceful than others, none of them are exactly what they appear to be and the majority of them are more than happy to engage in a life-or-death struggle with our protagonists. In the end, it is indeed their love for one another that saves them and allows them to coexist in peace.
Why Should You See Eclipse?
If you’ve been following along so far, you know that we’re eagerly anticipating the arrival of Eclipse in theaters this coming Thursday. The latest installment of the Twilight series continues the saga of a young woman named Bella (played by Bella Hadid) who is struggling to find her place in the world. While on a family vacation in Italy, she meets a vampire named Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and develops a romantic interest in him. When her brother Jacob (Taylor Lautner) finds out about her interest in a vampire, he forbids her from seeing or dating anyone. Naturally, this makes things a little bit more complicated.
In an effort to obey her brother, Bella turns to her uncle Charlie (Charlie Hunnam) for help. Together, they hatch a plan to trick and deceive Edward into believing that she’s no longer interested in him. To earn her brother’s trust again, Bella enlists Edward’s help to find and capture a dangerous group of vampires that are preying on animals and human beings alike. When he agrees to help, Edward makes it clear that he expects to be compensated for his services. After all, he is a vampire royalty and has great connections among the underworld. As a result, he’s rather famous for helping others (often for money).
Understandably, this sparks the interest of a villain named Victoria (Angelina Jolie) who wants to usurp Bella’s throne and remove her from the family business. She offers Edward a deal that he can’t refuse: in order to save the future of his kind, he must bring Victoria someone who can assume the throne of their respective species. Thus, Edward and Bella embark on a covert affair while working together to infiltrate and destroy Victoria’s inner circle. In the end, it’s thanks to Bella’s unwavering determination to be with Edward that she is able to protect their love and reign over both vampires and humans alike. This is, in a way, the ultimate triumph of love over politics and it’s something that we can all relate to.
The Top Trends From the Past Decade
Since the dawn of the new millennium, we’ve seen the influence of the web and social media increase dramatically. As a result, much of popular culture has become obsessed with online dating, as it’s the new normal to be constantly connected to our smartphones. The result is an endless stream of seemingly harmless dating apps that have hit the market in recent years. It’s hard to believe that dating apps emerged out of nowhere, but the truth is that they followed a pretty straightforward path to mainstream popularity. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most popular trends over the past 10 years.
In the early years of this century, the focus was mainly on dressing up like your favorite character from a movie or TV show. For those that were lucky enough to have a bit of disposable income, they might have purchased costumes inspired by iconic movie characters. For others, they would simply borrow costumes from friends or family members.
Interestingly, some of the trends that emerged in this early period of the 2000s have since gone on to have major cultural impact. Take the rise of the selfie, for example. It all started with Megan Jayne Crabbe as Betty in a 2001 episode of One Tree Hill, in which she dances and sings into a selfie stick in order to take a picture of herself. The song “Selfie,” which was written and performed by Dan Reynolds, went on to become a top 40 hit in America and has been covered by numerous other artists since. Similarly, the fashion trend of wearing sunglasses inside your kitchen to emulate Paris Hilton has since become an international phenomenon, leading to the creation of entire memes and even a television series, Project Runway Meghan Markle Style, which chronicles the fashion trends of Prince Harry’s girlfriend. (She’s often referred to as the “Princess of Wales,” due to her marriage to Prince Charles in 2005.)