Whenever I go see a movie which I really enjoy I tend to, as a product of my childhood years, not talk about it. You can tell how much I like a movie by how much I Not Talk About It. When my wife and I saw Running With Scissors, for example, you could tell how much I liked it by the fact that I was incessantly telling people about it. (For the record: Everyone involved with that film should be hanged, drawn, quartered, and the film should be burned.)
Anyway.
When it comes to movies like Harry Potter, which I love as much as I loved Star Wars when I was a kid (before they made prequels and I realized it was all mostly garbage), I don't read reviews, I barely mention it. It just frustrates me when someone else disliked it -- especially when they can't explain why. Another thing that bugs me: Opinions without reasoning. If I like or dislike something, I have reasons. I don't always understand why the rest of the world sometimes doesn't.
Anyway...
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the movie, is thus-far my favorite movie. I'm glad that the movies are getting progressively darker as the books do. I'm glad that we got Dudley at the beginning. I'm glad that in parts, the movie made me jump
Delores Umbredge was creepy. I mean, out of the Twlight Zone creepy. She was done wonderfully. And Emma Watson was absolutely psychotic as LaStrange. But then, Emma Watson's always fun. I was happily surprised when I saw her. I didn't realize she was in this film. I've been busy with what's technically called "life," so I didn't really keep up on pre-production gossip. (Mostly, I don't care. I don't need to know every time the actors change caterers for lunches. C'mon.)
I haven't read Book 5 since it first came out (or book 6, for that matter). I've read each once. I remember them well enough. That's enough for me. This means that I don't get into a frothy lather when they cut something, or add something. Mostly, I don't notice. Or care. A movie is not a book, nor can they ever match up exactly. The only way to faithfully adapt a book to film is a TV series or mini-series. So when it comes to movies, all I ask is that they care and they are sincere. Hence why Batman Begins, which was nothing like the comics, is my favorite super-hero movie.
Harry Potter 5 was dark and visceral and funny. They finally used Filch, who has wonderful comedic potential. I enjoyed Luna's character no end.
The ONLY question I was left with after the movie was, if Hagrid's brother is THAT BIG...how did Hagrid's dad (normal sized) and Hagrid's mum (presumably also THAT BIG) how did they...you know...you know? I don't know. And I don't want to know.
And....I think Dumbledore might be able to take on Gandalf at this point, in a fight. Yes I do. Although Albus Dumbledore isn't an angel, like Gandalf. (What? Oh, just go read The Silmarillion).
So, I loved it. I am desperate for the next movie. I may re-read book six, just for my fix.
Oh, a final good thing about this movie. IT HAD NO TIME-TURNERS IN IT.
Harry Potter 5
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Posted by Peter Damien at 9:31 PM
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9 Angst(s):
Hmm. I'm not in a frothy lather, either, but it annoys me when they give zero explanation for certain things. *shrug*
And I'm guessing it was easier for Hagrid's Mom to be *that big* and get knocked up by a normal sized guy that if it were the other way around. *shudder*
Frothy lather?
*heads off to get a beer*
Why am I getting the impression that Pete does not appreciate the Time Turner?
Because they were a plot point of inspired genious. And I have the feeling Pete doesn't know how to tell time yet.
Shouldn't he be learning? Is telling time one of the important and indispensable tasks the fathers do during the birth and labor process?
Time has no meaning when you are the parent of a Screaming Pooper. And it has no meaning as a writer. Therefore, I am very shortly about to step completely outside the 4th Dimension. I mean, we won't even be speaking to each other at parties. (because I will never get to them)
The Time Turner was the laziest, most horriblest plot device EVER. I mean, Harry Potter and the others could have saved the day by Zeus coming down and setting everything right, and it would've been better...
*stomps off, grumbling*
I think you're looking at from a writer's POV, not a reader's, Pete. I thought the TT's were a -great- part of the story. I'm not saying this to haughtily contradict you, nor to be silly. I'm new to writing, at least at making a solid attempt to put my stories down on paper, so I still look at much of this from a naive reader's POV.
For me, it works.
There. That's my only serious writing entry for this year on your blog. :D
No, you're right. Of course. Because while I'm very proud of the fact that when I read/watch/listen to something, it's as a blank slate (I'm not going "that's an interesting piece of character drama!" I'm just sitting and enjoying whatever it gives me. Nothing more, nothing less) I'm still me. I'm still a writer.
Azkaban worked just fine for me when I read it, the first time. It niggled at the back of my mind, but it didn't bother me any more than the room they use to train Dumbledore's Army, in book five (a room that appears when you need it, equipped for what you need...?)
It only got to me after I saw the movie and consciously thought about it. So yeah; Normal Reading Me was fine with it, Active Writing Me was bothered by it.
Anyway, I'm hardly gonna go "stupid Harry Potter books are badly written," because my theory is: a book which succeeds for the readers is written successfully. Another writer who thinks otherwise is incorrect, at least so far as that book is concerned.
And for the record, I think naive reader's point of view is the bestest way to look at your writing, for a long time. I did a huge bulk of work before I started questioning how/what I wrote and ever second-guessed myself. So definitely don't say that in apologetic terms. :)
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