Harry Potter Pt II Review

I went to see the final Harry Potter film a month after it came out in theatres. I was just not up for going immediately or seeing all the films in order -- motherhood has taken its toll on my energy. Plus, it was nice to wait and go with friends to the film. So I wanted to list the pros and cons of the last film.

CONS:

I don't know if I can limit myself to SEVEN...I will try.

7. Too much soul baby: The Voldy soul baby thing under the seat was gross. Way gross. Didn't need that much screen time. Three seconds would be enough.

6. The Malfoys WALK AWAY: I can't even believe Steve Kloves wrote that $#*%. Seriously. The Malfoys would not walk away. Especially after the AWKWARD HUG of the century. And Voldy would NEVER HUG anybody. Fist bump? Maybe. Wand slap? Certainly. Hug? NEVER. WTF. (Though it certainly made sense with Harry-hugging-flying duel. Oh wait, no, that made NO SENSE AT ALL. Maybe Ralph Finnes was in a hugging mood that day. If so, then I should have been on set.)

5. Giant wave: Um, Steve Kloves, I know you are not a Ron/Hermione fan, but the giant wave of water right before they kiss? You don't have to OVER emphasize the sexual element -- subtle is good. Too Freudian for my taste. Just have them kiss and then give more time to Ariadne's story.

4. Students EVERYWHERE during the last battle: So, all students march around in neat little rows (a la Madeline books) and yet there are hundreds of them during the last battle all running around and screaming. What happened to the mass evacuation of students by McGonagoll? And WTF her sending out the Slytherins? Made NO sense. Also: why destroy the Quidditch pitch?

3. After fighting their way through Gringotts, riding on the back of a dragon, and then jumping in a frigid lake, Hermione pulls out...the hand-sanitizer? I know they had to cram a lot into the film, but with no explanation, I had to make up my own. That dragon wasn't in the cleanest of underground banks.

2. Where was Crabbe? And why was he replaced with Blaise Zambini? And WHY was Goyle the one who set the fiendfyre? WHY? WHY? WHY?!?!? Oh, drug issues (see here).

1. WTF: HARRY FIX YOUR @^#$^@& WAND!?!?!?!?! I did NOT like that part. Could you tell? Harry was supposed to use the elder wand to repair his broken wand with Fawkes feather in it. Now what is he going to use? Draco's wand? That is just SICK.

PROS:

7. They showed people dying/dead: I know that sounds harsh and I was really surprised Heyman gave this the OK, but I am glad they showed just how EVIL Voldy was and how high the stakes were. He was like Hitler but with a snake-like face and a wand. And Goyle falling into the fire. WOW. Oh and goblin death by fire equally shocking. Lavender Brown munched on by Fenrir. All very real and captured the sense that no one was safe.

6. Ron & Hermione's kiss: believable. Good job guys. Neville's little bit about finding Luna was sweet. Glad Ginny said "I know".

5. Neville was a BA: I wish he had been the BAMF he was in the novel, but making him a BA was just as good. I liked his speech to Voldy, and the mockery with it -- it was good. A little weak, but better than nothing.

4. "Harry, if we die because of them, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" "NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!" Hurray for greatest Weasley lines EVER! And I started crying when Ron was sobbing over Fred. And Tonks and Lupin. I also liked how Molly had a bit of hesitation with the wand duel, as if she can't believe what she stepped into and hopes she doesn't die in the process, and then overcomes her fear to off Bellatrix.

3. Little Snape was PERFECT: He was darling. I liked him. Botoxed-slightly older Snape was not so good. Snape's death scene was good. Not as I imagined it entirely, but completely brutal and in keeping with Volemort's character. Glad Voldy didn't hug him.

2. Oh yeah, Michael Gambon can act: Forgot about that. He was quite good when he isn't screaming intensely at Harry. Oh yeah, and WARWICK DAVIS is a AMAZING. MAN CAN ACT. And, John Hurt, Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson...the list goes on and on. Glad all the actors found time to come in for a day to make an appearance. AND HURRAY FOR CIARAN HINDS!!! I call him Inspector Lindley because he looks like Inspector Lindley, but he isn't, but either way he is AWESOME and I am so glad he was in the movie (he was Aberforth). And hurray for high-happy imperius cursed goblins. Love those guys. (Oh, and the Grey Lady was in Nanny McPhee. It was bugging me during the last quarter of it and then right before I went to bed I remembered where I had seen her.)

And before the top pro, I want to mention how NOT FAIR it is to moms & dads who watch this film. The whole time I thought baby Harry looked like Nina. Then I got sad about how I might die and leave Nina behind and she is just this little baby. And would I be brave like Lily? Or would I hug Voldy? And then all those kids lying dead? Not cool. I kept thinking about all their parents. Makes me teary eyed just thinking about it.

1. YAY DRAGON! Best part of the movie, hands down. Love that dragon. Would want one if it would promise not to eat me. I thought Griphooks treatment of it was believable and Hermione's aversion excellent. LOVE THAT SCENE. The whole movie could have been that scene (extended) and I would have been happy.

Even better than the dragon was this:

No, not that kid from Twilight. YAY MIKAEL BLOMKVIST!!!! He is AMAZING!!!

And a MUPPET MOVIE!!! YAY!!!!

I AM SO THERE!!!

And I had most of the theatre scared because I LAUGHED SO HARD AT THE PREVIEW FOR THIS:

I might just have to see it at the Crest for the heck of it. I am sure it will be terrible. I will pay $11 to see the final Harry Potter film, but not for dancing penguins. Got my standards, you know.

Meh (Beware:HBP movie spoilers)

I am DONE with one of the two classes I am taking this summer. I finished this Wednesday with a class that was driving me INSANE!!! It was full of teachers in training who were so idealistic - great for reflecting on how much I have grown as a teacher, but not so great for discussion where I had hoped to generate ideas.

I went to see Half-Blood Prince yesterday afternoon in celebration with my buddy Renee.

Neither of one of us were pleased.

This review pretty much sums it up: http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_template.php?identifier=1717

Things I Loved:

- Jim Broadbent: ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! I love this actor and he is amazing as Slughorn. He has a really cool story involving Lily that made my cry.

- Lavendar Brown: Hee - Dead on!

- Young Voldemort: A bit of a berk but REALLY well done! Captures the great manipulation and darkness of the future Voldy.

- Harry on Felix Felicitas: HA!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Super funny - not quite the sensation described in the book, but it was so d@mn funny!

- Cormic & Blaise: Can they be shirtless in the next film? HOT!!! Cormic was captured very well (though more handsome than I envisioned him in the book)

- Ring + Harry = Harry is a Horcrux forshadowing. Well done and interesting.

- Overall cinematography: really beautiful.

-Draco: FINALLY a character! He did a terrific job and had some great lines. Loved the Katie Bell scene and the sectumsemra scene.

- Snape: Allen Rickman is made of awesome and had more lines that were not just for comedic effect. He got to be Snape and his hair did not look like a bad wig.

- Olivander captured! Really quite scary!!! (brief though)

-OVERALL: beautifully shot, finally a blend of young and adult actors, and some nice set up for the final films.


Things I Did NOT like (WTF = What the Frak):

- WTF: we waited THIS LONG FOR THE MOVIE - it still seemed slapped together and not polished. And they used music from Order of the Phoenix. LAME.

- Hermione: FLAT. Her characterization was so 2-D and written such that she seems shallow and not interesting. The film drove home the point that she and Ron liked each other, but Hermione seemed just as vapid as Lavendar (though slightly less annoying).

- Fenrir: Is he a werewolf? Or just a DE with a really hairy face and collection of 70's open shirts to reveal his manscaped chest? Just give him a medalion and he could be a wizard pimp. No back story with Lupin.

- Narcissa: not AS bad as I thought, but her HAIR?!?!?!?!? And she didn't speak the lines of the unbreakable vow!!?@>!?!>?@ So weird...liked her shoes though.

- HORCRUXES: no tiara, no back story with the ring, no Helga Hufflepuff cup. Harry and Dumbledore mention 7 horcruxes, but I don't see how the film makers will exposition this in the next films. Unless Voldemort had some secret diary where he recoreded all of his horcruxes and Hermione finds it, I doubt there will be seven horcruxes in the final film.

MY PREDICITON: no Gringotts break in - it will be 5 horcruxes: diary, ring, Harry, nagini, and locket.

- RON: WTF!?@#?@ Ron was a real character in the last film. Then Steve Kloves got his hands on him and made him a silent statue that eats, gets snogged, and looks rather silly.

- Dozens and Dozens of Gollums: Seriously. The inferi in the cave were dozens and dozens of gollumses. Lame.

- Slight Return of Creepy Dumbledore: Ew. Asking questions about Harry and Hermione, telling Harry to "get collected" by Slughorn - it was weird.

- Dumbledore: He had more lines, excuted them well (cave scene was good), but his hand looked slightly burned instead of sinister. AND THERE WAS NO FUNERAL!!! WTF!!!! I did cry when Faulkes goes flying by, but it wasn't nearly as sad or beautiful as Dumbledore's death should have been.

- Top of the Astronomy Tower: WTF!?!@!@$!>?>!@#>?!>@#?!

?^&%^*#@!?^&(^*&#$%#

Harry over hears the "you ask to much of me" Snape & Dumbledore interaction. Later Snape "shushes" Harry who is hiding in the lower part of the Astronomy Tower (? When did that happen?). Renee felt it was giving away that Snape was good - perhaps she is right. I am of the opinion that it had to be written this way so that movie-only fans could get the idea that Snape is not all that he seems to be.

NO BATTLE AT HOGWARTS!!! NO BATTLE AT HOGWARTS??? That alone made me mad, never mind the stuff above.



Overall: the film was not its own adventure. It was a slight stepping stone into the final films. They had to make the characters grow up, set up for the next film, and move along. It was like watching a stage being set up for a play - interesting, but not riveting.

D@mn you Gossip Girl!

Sadly, ANTM and Project Runway have ended and Masterpiece Theater has gone on holiday as well.

So, I have taken to watching whatever comes on television when I grade papers in the evening.

I have now seen a total of...2 Gossip Girl episodes and therefore do not get the overall plot line.

Anyhow, d@mn them - they stole a plot line from my fan fiction.

No joke - I had always seen Tobias Snape and Acacia Evans as having a thing.

Acacia (nee Sheppard) Evans is the name I christened Lily Evan's mother.

As I see it, during WWII, Mr. Sheppard (I can't remember his first name, but I have it written down) was a spy for England in North Africa. His wife and child (Rose and Acacia) fled London during the bombings to their country estate in North England - the village where the Snapes reside.

While in the village, Acacia Sheppard becomes friends with Tobias Snape - they become friends, they throw snowballs, report the coordinate of enemy planes to the wire service, etc.

But then Acacia must go to St. Ethelburga's School for Lovely Ladies and never returns...for her father is found dead after being tortured in Egypt for his espionage. She and her mother do not return to the country estate but chose to move back to London.

And where is Eileen Prince while all of this is happening? Well, she is in the same village, watching Tobias from afar, and, having gained courage as a gobstones protege at Hogwarts, she fills the void that Acacia left in Tobias heart.

Years later, Rose Sheppard chooses to return to the country estate to end her days. Acacia has grown up, become a doctor, married, and is working in India with her husband as part of the World Health Organization.

Only when Acacia learns of her mother's death does she bring her family back to the village.

And Tobias falls in love with Acacia again. And Severus falls in love with Lily.

And it is all down hill from there. Seriously downhill...what with the wizarding war, unrequited love, malaria, and some powerful memory charms.

At least this is how I envision it - I am sure JK Rowling has a less epic and melodramatic history of these people. And different names for them.

Again, this is how *I* chose to fill the back story since JKR has not yet released this information or, perhaps, even thought about it.

But I do because I have a flair for the melodramatic...and perhaps "fangirl" the whole Sev/Lily thing far too much for my own good.

Which is why I was so mad that Gossip Girl stole my plot line. I don't know who everyone is on the show, but here is the plot line as I understand it from my two episode and a few commercials knowledge of it:

The blond girl (really pretty) and the black haired boy (too small a nose to be cute) like each other, are possibly in love with each other, but she has *issues* and he has *issues* possibly, but not totally, about each other.

Whatever - they totally like each other and want to be together, but the writers of the show are keeping them apart for the drama of it all.

And to further this divide, the boy' father and girl's mother were once in love, a long time ago, and are now free to be together and the boy and girl decide to be apart for their parents' sake because it would be far to freaky to date the son/daughter of your mom/dad's boyfriend/girlfriend.

Whew.

Except the writers threw in some baby plot line that I totally do not understand - which was kind of cool, because some of the characters know the whole story and others don't and I got to be out of the loop so it was all a big mystery for me.

But the last scene in the train station I don't get - was their child put up for adoption? Or did she have an abortion?

I don't get it.

Whatever - the GG writers stole my plot line.

Except for the whole baby thing...and the requited love thing...whatever, same basic idea.

And they ironically (to me) named the mother Lily.

But I want to report that I came up with the whole thing first so that when I finally get my fanfic out there no one thinks that I am just copying the GG plot line.

I am perfectly capable of creating my own melodrama, thank you very much!

Hello Halloweeney!

Here is me dressed as a Ravenclaw. I made the earrings - yes, that is a duck bead.

Yes, I know the Ravenclaw mascot is an eagle. But, if the house can be called Ravenclaw and have an eagle for a mascot, surely they would except another bird, a duck, as a representative.

And the duck bead is a great reference to the Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail(just think about it...).



The scarf I completed last night. It took forever and I ran out of blue yarn.

Clearly it is not long enough.

The students were obnoxious today - and predicting such behavior, I gave them all tests.

:)

But, by far, the most annoying of them all was seventh grade. That class is generally good natured, but they were UBER HYPER today.

Upon entering my class, without so much as a greeting, they bombarded me.

"Who are you supposed to be?"

"Are you supposed to be McGonagoll?"

"Are you supposed the be Harry Potter?"

(in a really bad English accent) "HARRY POTTER?"

"Are you supposed to be McGonagoll?"

"Is that an old Nun's habit?"

"Where is your scar?"

:|

After giving them a brief lecture on boundaries and consequences (IE. detention), they settled.

And yes - those are my robes from St. John's. Lance chucked his in the bin, but he kept the hood. Otherwise, we could have been Cedric and Cho!

:D

MEEPERS!!!

Lately my post titles have been onomatopoetic.  

Today has been a GOOD DAY!!! 

Yesterday, not so much.  As my husband can testify, the PMS has arrived.  

Here is why today, JULY 31st, 2008 is a VERY GOOD DAY:

1) It is Harry Potter's and JK Rowling's Birthdays!  

2) JK Rowling announced that she and Amazon.com will release the rights to "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" and Scholastic will release the book December 4th. 

And it will include more information about wandlore, wizarding world stuff, etc.

  

And it is available in both standard and collector's editions. 

If you would like to pre-order a copy for me for my birthday, Christmas, Name's Day, or Pascha

(*ahem* parents -- yes mom, you are still off the hook for my birthday because you got me the collector's edition of The Order of the Phoenix, but I am throwing more ideas out there) 

you can here -- I will be happy with a standard edition, but would LOVE the collector's edition (it is $100!!!  Perhaps a birthday/Christmas/Name's Day/Pascha present combo?).

And it is for CHARITY!  JK Rowling is my hero -- she gains no profit, just the awesome feeling that comes with being generous to those who are less fortunate and ensuring dignity for all mankind.

3) I had an eight o'clock dentist appointment and have NO REASON for a second appointment!  Woot!  The dentist was worried about my inflamed front gums but I have breathing through my mouth due to sinus drainage (sorry -- it's true), he said it was nothing to worry about but I should watch it.  So, I have my mouth closed right now.

BUT NO RETURN VISIT!!!

4) I am so HAPPY to announce that one of my stories was accepted on a Harry Potter Fan Fiction Site!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No it is not about Lily and Sev, but whatever, MY STORY IS ON A FANFICTION SITE!!!

My beta, Gabe, gave me the thumbs up on Monday, which caused me to do a little snoopy dance inside, but I kept my cool.  There is always a chance that the moderators will not think one's story is well done.

So, I submitted the stories to Mugglenet FanFiction, Fictionalley, and The Quidditch Pitch (I had not heard of The Quidditch Pitch till Gabe recommended it.  It is a really cool site and I like how it is organized.  Bit...er...racey.  But that's ok :).   If I submitted to three sites, I would have pretty good odds.

AND...this morning I received an email from Fictionalley and MY STORY HAS BEEN UPLOADED!!!

I literally said "OH MEEPERS!" when I read the email.  I have no idea what "meepers!" means or where it came from, but I said it and I decided to use it for my title.

Only two things to dampen the experience: 1. I have a typo :C  It is my own darn fault; 2. My author's note did not make it: the one where I offer a HUGE THANK YOU to my beta Gabe for putting up with my neuroses as well as misuse of quotes, dashes, and ellipses and for guiding my writing from a jumble to a story AND how I quote the Godfather  Part I.

Oh well, you can't have it all.  But I did email the folks and hopefully these two errors can be corrected. 

And now I can add a new link bubble where you can check out where my stories are.  :D

But here's the thing -- Fictionalley is a really large community.  So is Mugglenet Fanfiction.  In the future I might just stick with The Quidditch Pitch, if they'll have me.  I really like small communities where you can foster relationships instead of being faceless in a mass of people.  

So, I'll see what happens.

BUT FOR NOW I AM GLORIOUSLY HAPPY AND WILL BE SNOOPY-DANCING TILL THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING!!! 

(except there is Vespers for Procession of the Cross, so I will have to stop then, light a candle in thanksgiving, but after that I am proceeding)

AGH!!!

Summer is slipping through my hands like fine grains of sand.  I had planned fun and adventure -- perhaps meet more people, make more friends, hang out in libraries, etc. 

My mom came last week which forced me to go out and have more fun.  She also showed me how to use a sewing machine (at my request) -- what?  A girl can never have too many crafts!

But alas, I told myself that as soon as August rolled around I would HAVE to get back to school work.  I have some math curriculum meeting that I don't know the details for, and some planning, a survey to write, etc.

Then I looked at my upcoming blogposts schedule and I still haven't addressed four items -- I haven't even RE-STARTED my pysanky projects!

AGH!!!

I have been crocheting my sweater, which is taking a lot longer than I thought.  I think my stitches are becoming larger :(

And as far as the JK Rowling speech goes, she is ten million shades of awesome and everyone should just read it.  I especially liked when she mentioned that most of the graduates are American and in a position to influence the government -- she didn't got the extra step and call all Americans to the carpet for their apathy, but it was encouraging to hear.  Read, and I believe listen/watch, to her speech here.

And GARDENING --  I bought basil at Trader Joe's and put it in water to keep it fresh (a la Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten) AND THE BASIL GREW ROOTS!!!  No joke!  I meant to transplant it, but that didn't work out and it died.  I was reminded of Feist's line in the song Mushaboom: "second floor living without a yard".  Well, more like fourth floor, but I have no yard either way.  So, I decided to buy these pre-potted basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary plants and keep them on the kitchen counter.  I did water them, but the whole lack of sunlight thing is what did them in -- my husband likes these thick curtains that prevent light and sound from coming into the condo.  I think he really likes caves...

But, we (my mom, my mother in law, and I) went to the Yakima Fruit and Plant Stand on Monday and I picked up a dahlia and a lavender plant.  Don't be fooled by the name -- this fruit stand was near Lake City (which is near Seattle); I think the Yakima refers to farms that grow the produce and plants.

All my plants are doing fairly well on the porch -- I was able to keep the basil alive and a lily alive as well.  I just lack a green thumb.

Which begs the question -- what have I been doing so far then this summer?

Well:

1. Writing blog posts and trying to edit them into something coherent which includes LOTS of spell checking and editing out the passive voice (I am very guilty of it, I know  - and of completely vague and general descriptions)

2. Going to the bead store and not doing any beading at home

3. Crocheting my sweater while watching Anthony Bourdain and Samantha Brown on the travel channel...and Project Runway...and Oprah...and Kathy Griffin My Life on the D List.  But not EVERY day.

4. Taking walks to the library -- and devouring just about everything I bring home, which lately has been Jennifer Weiner.  I believe I have read all of her books, let's see...Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, Goodnight Nobody, Little Earthquakes, The Guy Not Taken, Certain Girls (her latest).  I think that is most of them...what?  I like her writing!

And, last but not least, writing Fan Fiction.  I have about four or so stories I am working on, one with a beta, but I don't want to overwhelm the beta with four stories (right?).

But there was a two week stint where I hadn't heard back from said beta and I totally didn't realize it because I was too caught up reading Jennifer Weiner books.  

Yep, I have been a busy girl.

Oh I also made tropical fruit Popsicles and cooked many a tasty meal.  My hubby says I need to bake more pies and cookies.

But I better get myself in gear if I am going to live this summer to the fullest.  My husband certainly is by taking hikes every weekend and planning small trips for us.  I think I would appreciate all of his efforts more if he would dedicate a weekend or two to new (to us) car-buying and bed shopping, but I think that is exactly what he is avoiding.

Well, I better get to editing that story and sending it out to various fanfic sites.  I just recently found out about PhoenixSong.net -- which is pathetic because I have trolled many a fan fic site and somehow missed this one.  PhoenixSong.net is pretty cannon compliant (i.e. no Lily/Snape shipping, which I say is lame cause I think there was some snogging there, so I don't know if my stories will be accepted, but whatever).

Agh -- editing, ok, going to do that now.

Mugglenet

When I first encountered the Harry Potter series, one of the first things I began to search for on the Internet was Harry Potter websites.  Deathly Hallows was not yet released and I was looking for a forum where theories were discussed, you could find information on the next film release, etc.

I happened upon Mugglenet.  They seemed informed, had a nice encyclopedia, a funny caption contest, and a decent fan fic section.  I settled in and when I learned that there was a podcast, I subscribed in itunes.

I had heard of The Leaky Cauldron, but not paid much attention to it.  I listened to a snippet of the podcast on itunes and felt the conversation droll.

Then along came the JK Rowling interview a year later.  It was really well done and answered a lot of questions that I had post - Deathly Hallows (and asked some interesting ones I had not thought of asking Rowling).

But I still subscribed to mugglenet podcast and listened to it, and decided to listen to the Leaky Podcast too.

A few months ago, I think, there was an announcement about the last Harry Potter film being split into two movies.  I didn't quite catch all of the news because the announcement was made during Lent where I make an attempt to shun all media.  But, knowing that I am a HP fan, most of my family and students passed the information along to me.

After the fast, I listened to all of the Lent podcasts that I had missed.  I started with mugglenet because, well, it was habit.

I was appalled that in their discussion of the two films for Deathly Hallows they decided to play the song "Money" (you know, 80's tune "Money, Money, Money...MONEY!").  This was while people were trying to have a discussion on why and how they would split the plot of DH into two films.

It was such an immature move that I shut off the podcast and un-subscribed (best word I could come up with...).  I understand not wanting to suck up to WB execs and say "oh, it is great that you are going to do two films so we can see more of the DH storyline" because anyone who has read the books and seen the films knows that WB hardly sticks to the plot or characters of the film.  I am actually fine with that because books and films are two different forms of media and require different types of story telling.  No movie could capture every element of a book -- the sets, costumes, props, actors, etc. could look very similar to what you visualize in your head when you read a book, but all the history and nuances can not be there.

And perhaps WB is doing the two films for the money; it is possible that they will try to milk the HP fandom for all that it is worth.

But to play a song while people are trying to actually have a discussion about the film and the benefits of two films -- a song that implies it is just for the money -- is rude and immature.  Have a separate discussion, but don't interrupt decent discussion just to be annoying or prove your point.  Such behavior does not facilitate discussion but halt it.  If one can only give a single reason for a decision without reference or consideration of other possibilities, than it is futile to have a discussion with that one person.

And so I bid adieu to mugglenet and listen to the leaky podcast instead (even though there are a lot more inside jokes there I don't get).   They have some pretty good discussion and I appreciate their humor a little more.

Oh, I still troll the fan fic and caption contest on mugglenet, but I refuse to listen to the podcast and they are not my source for current HP news.