The freakishly popular “Twilight” saga is finally growing up, and just in time, since there’s only one more film left in the franchise.

“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1″ is yet another installment sure to baffle those who didn’t fall in love with author Stephenie Meyer’s novels. This time, our star-crossed lovers face some difficult choices involving life, death and the perils of bringing a baby into a mixed marriage – vampire and human, that is.

The first of the two-part franchise finale finds Bella (Kristen Stewart) and the ghastly pale Edward (Robert Pattinson) prepping for their wedding day. Edward tells her he once lived a more “traditional” vampire life but only chose murderers to snack on. Yet Bella probably wouldn’t care if he confessed to driving a busload of nuns into a ravine; she’s still madly in love with the handsome bloodsucker.

The wedding is everything a Twi-Hard fan could crave, and the film blends some gentle humor into the picture-perfect proceedings. Bella’s jittery pa (Billy Burke) looks more troubled than a man giving away his 18-year-old daughter to a man more pale than Uncle Fester.

The trouble really begins when Bella and Edward consummate their love at long last, a sequence directed with care by “Twilight” newbie Bill Condon (“Dreamgirls,” “Gods and Monsters”). The franchise has never been so PG-13 before, but parents will be relieved that the moment of passion is treated as delicately as possible.

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Good news for the Motion Picture Academy. Despite the fact that the five Best Picture nominees had combined to gross less than $300M domestic by showtime, Oscar ratings were up considerably from last year’s all-time low. Early numbers show that the ABC telecast scored a 27 share, surging by 11% overall and by over 14% with TV’s “money demo” 18-49s. Compare that to last year when the show was down 25% in households from 2007 and down 30% among 18-49s.

The credit should go to producers Lawrence Mark and Bill Condon, although I can see why the streamlined show is a bit of a Rorschach test for viewers. If you love movies, and especially actors, last night’s show was respectful and enlightening. If you are inclined to dislike awards shows and actors, then the telecast would be pretty dreary.

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