FINALLY, die-hard fans of “Twilight” were able to see Bella and Edward on the big screen, during the premiere of “Twilight” at the Mall of Asia Centerstage last Thursday.

The red-carpet event was a success, as fans and celebrities alike lined up for the movie, but not before being treated to a performance by Krissy & Ericka. Pre-screening cocktails was held at the IMAX Lobby, where TGI Friday’s and Haagen-Dazs provided refreshments. Guests were also asked to answer some trivia questions about the movie.

Celebrities spotted at the event included Chris Tiu, actress Iza Calzado and TV host Raymond Gutierrez.

The fans

Angel Rojo, 14, and a freshman student at PAREF said, “I just want to see them in the movie.” Angel had read all four books in the series over the summer, averaging one book a day. She just can’t wait to see what happens next.

Ayra Arcilla, a 15-year-old from Zobel-Santiago, was eager to see how the movie would portray “Bella’s Lullaby”, which in the book was a song composed by Edward for Bella.

Ayra came with 11 of her friends, and they really enjoyed the movie. “Edward was hot,” said one of her friends. “The movie was great, everything we wanted to see was there, although we would have liked to see more of the Edward and Bella kilig moments.”

Ari Yupangco, 20, from Assumption College, started reading the “Twilight” books two years ago, after a random browsing in the bookstore. Ari very much approved of the movie cast.

Victoria Viola, 18, and Paolo Shimeda, 17, students from the College of St. Benilde, were excited to see the scene when Bella finally knew the truth about Edward. Their favorite parts of the “Twilight” book were the parts where Edward was always there to rescue Bella.

They also wanted to see Rosalie, who was described in the book as very beautiful. When asked what they thought about the movie, “all the good parts were in it,” they happily said.

Kristal Victoria, 17 and a BS Biology student, was just happy to attend the premiere showing of “Twilight.” She had just finished the book in time for the movie, and was thrilled to see the novel acted out on the big screen.

The movie

The audience was a mix of generations, from tweeners to yuppies and, of course, the parents who accompanied the young fans. When Edward first made his appearance, squeals of excitement could be heard all around. During the movie’s most romantic parts, girls giggled and sighed.

Several scenes were a hit, such as the sometimes subtle references to Bella’s clumsiness. It was as if a private joke was shared. If you didn’t notice it, you hadn’t read the book.

All in all, the movie satisfied what the readers were looking for: the movie’s depiction of Forks, the vampire stunts, Jacob, and of course the undeniable chemistry between Edward and Bella.