This was my first big screen Harry Potter movie since becoming a superfan. I’ve been going like crazy this last week trying to read all of book 5 and rent and watch the first four movies. I didn’t get all of the book read though, mostly because I had to sleep and work, but trust me, I was reading WHENEVER POSSIBLE, including at red lights and yes, in the bathroom. I was at page 567 of 870 when the movie started, which was kind of fun because I knew all of the set up and whatnot but didn’t know what was going to happen in the end. Some other superfan-friends and I went and saw the movie yesterday, the first full day it was out in Redding. We got in line about an hour early, and just in time too, because it was stretched around the building for a 5pm show! We had awesome seats in a packed house, which is always rewarding. I was so excited when the opening credits rolled that I grabbed Ashley and kind of hurt her.
It was GREAT. Having seen all five movies in 3 days, I could compare them all and was very impressed with how much the cast’s acting has improved over the years. Alan Rickman, Dame Maggie Smith and Gary Oldman have ALWAYS been good of course, but the kids hold their own too. The advancement of special effects just in the 5 years since the wizards took to the screens has been astonishing. Oh man, I could go on and on but I don’t really know what I’m talking about in terms of how it was lit and shot and CGI-ically realized so I’ll just say it was BEYOND COOL. I think movie 3 still may be my favorite, visually speaking (directed by Children of Men’s Alfonso Cuaron) but it’s a pretty close competition.
Naturally, movies never live up to their books in terms of how the stories unfold, and it’s frustrating to watch things get truncated and flip-flopped, but what can you do? Evidently this was the shortest Potter movie so far, even though book 5 was the longest, so big ups to the writer and director for keeping it all in check.
My only beef? Not enough attention was devoted to Harry dealing with that one horrible thing that happens to that one person in the big battle! Come on! That is MAJOR! You gotta show the emotional aftermath. You can bet I’ll be finishing my last 300 pages tonight to make up for what I was cheated, film-wise.
So. Go see the movie, but read the first 5 books before you do :)
-kal
1 comment:
I couln't agree more with you on how awesome the Harry Potter series is. I have been a movie fan before I read the books, but the books are well worth it even if you have seen the movies already. I actually got Kate into the movies and we have read the books together. She like you was a skeptic, but has really enjoyed them. We haven't had the time to see the movie yet, but will before weekends end. We also will go next Friday at midnight to pick up our copy of the last book and get stared on it. We can't wait! Tell your husband I said hi.
Jeff U!
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