As with nearly every book-to-movie adaptation, "Twilight" glosses over some of the finer points of the novel. All in all, the movie is pretty true to the book. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart deliver, portraying Edward and Bella flawlessly. Alice is spot-on perfect, from her graceful stance to her melodic voice; Rosalie is exactly as she should be; Carlisle, Esme, and the rest of the Cullens are great. Charlie is adorably awkward and lovable, and Bella's friends are straight from the book. Many humorous lines throughout the story. Definitely recommend reading the book first, though.
I'll be the first to say that, as both someone who grew up on ABBA music, and who loves the musical theater scene, I had my doubts about the success of this film. After all, the live production of "Mamma Mia" works so seamlessly on a stage set, that it seemed almost unneccessary to expand the story to the big screen. However, I must report that I was delightfully surprised and pleased with this rendition of the musical story. Much to their credit, all the actors do their own singing, which is right on par with the Broadway actors who would portray the roles on stage. While I still think Meryl Streep is a bit too old to portray the love child-bearing character of Donna, she definitely pulls off the role with believability and heart, and the three lead men are equally charming and endearing in their portrayals. Bits of the story deviates from the stage production, some of the songs are out of sequence, and some are completely absent, however 90% of the story is comparable with the stage. The sets and costumes match those used on stage, and scenes expand into fun montages and a wider scope of location than would be possible in the confines of the theater. Those who have seen the stage show will be happy to know that a similar kind of musical ovation follows the close of the film. Overall, "Mamma Mia" is a delight that will have you dancing in the aisles.