This time last year, I was singing the praises of the movie “Twilight.” I really thought I loved it, but its recently released sequel “New Moon” has shown me what it should have been and I have seen the light that is the saga’s new director, Chris Weitz.

Last year’s “Twilight,” based on the book by Stephenie Meyer, told the story of mortal Bella Swan and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen. In “New Moon,” Edward leaves after Bella’s fateful birthday party and Bella falls into a deep depression. Her savior is her best friend and werewolf Jacob Black, who helps Bella pull herself out of it. “New Moon” is completely different from “Twilight,” and will grab the attention of non-“Twilight” fans more effectively than the first.

Obviously, the much-increased budget is partly to thank for the better movie, but Weitz, I am convinced, is a Godsend. Under his direction, everything is better. Majorly setting “New Moon” apart from “Twilight” is the lack of blue tint that previous director Catherine Hardwicke seemed to love so much, which is a nice change. Where Hardwicke used lots of sweeping angles to give her movie an artsy touch, Weitz is more daring and edgy with his direction. “New Moon” is also funny at times, and not unintentionally. Even actors Kristen Stewart (Bella), Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Taylor Lautner (Jacob) give much better performances in “New Moon” than they did in “Twilight,” and I have to think it’s because of Weitz.

“New Moon” the movie is very faithful to Meyer’s book and does not stray too far from it. Each of the books in the “Twilight” series opens with a quote, and even the quote from “Romeo and Juliet” found in the beginning of “New Moon” is in the movie. The book’s preface gives a small glimpse into the climax of the story, and that was in the movie as well. For fans who like a faithful movie companion to their favorite books, this is the perfect adaptation.

There are a few parts where the movie is different from the book, the most obvious being the visions of Edward. Unfortunately for Team Edward, our beloved vampire is not in “New Moon,” the book or movie, much. But because the filmmakers knew the audience always wants more Edward, they found a way to do so without being untrue to the book. In the book, when Bella discovers that she can hear Edward’s voice when she is being reckless, she goes out of her way to hear him, so she won’t forget his voice. In the movie, when Bella puts herself in dangerous situations, she sees Edward as a vision, which eventually flows away like fog.

Edward’s absence is a critical part of this story, and, once again, Weitz makes it work. Both those who want the movie to be faithful to the book and those who want more Edward will be happy. The movie also ups the action that was in the book, particularly in the final scene. This adds to the movie and makes it more exciting than it would be if it stuck completely to the book. It will also be entertaining enough for the boyfriends and husbands who were dragged to the movie.

When Edward and the Cullens leave, a new group of supernatural creatures takes over Forks, Wash.; Jacob Black and other members of the Quileute tribe of nearby La Push are werewolves, protecting the people of Forks and La Push from vampires. They’re not the typical creepy Hollywood werewolves moviegoers are used to. In both the book and movie, the werewolves are just really, really large wolves, described as being the size of horses. Again, Weitz did not let me down. The CG wolves are incredible; their fur looks real, their emotions are readable and never did I think, “Oh, this is so obviously fake.”

Music in movies is hugely important; it can make or break a scene. The “New Moon” soundtrack is an indie fan’s holy grail, full of some bands they’ll know (Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers, Muse) and a few they won’t but will soon love (Grizzly Bear, Lykke Li, Bon Iver).

All the songs on the soundtrack were either written specifically for the movie or previously recorded songs that did not make it on the bands’ own CDs. They all fit the somber mood of “New Moon” without being overly dramatic, annoying or “emo,” which might have been the more obvious route given that the books is about vampires and depression.

Unfortunately, not all of these songs were taken full advantage of: a few of them are just songs the characters listen to on the radio, instead of proper background music. It never breaks a scene, but such great songs deserve better play and had the potential to “make” a scene, and I was a little disappointed they weren’t fully utilized.

While the movie is mostly perfect (from a “Twilight” fan’s point of view, at least), I would have liked to see more of the sadness that makes “New Moon” the most heartbreaking book of the series. No doubt the movie will be the saddest of them all, with heart-wrenching scenes of Bella screaming in her sleep and her father, Charlie (Billy Burke) racing in to check on her, but more would have been truer to the book. “New Moon” is a big book and no one is expecting every tear Bella sheds in it to be portrayed on the screen, but given how much of that big book is Bella mourning the loss of Edward as if he were dead, it seems that ratio should have been present in the movie as well.

And as strongly as I am Team Edward all the way, a little, just a little, more of Bella and Jacob’s developing friendship would have helped.

Regardless of what I would have liked to see more of in “New Moon,” it really was a great movie. It is true to the book, which is so important since the book is the reason most of the audience is there in the first place. Where some of us Twi-hards were made fun of this time last year, I think more people will join us after seeing “New Moon.” It really is that much better.