Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Also known as Harry Potter: Mills and Boon Edition.
So yay! I finally saw it! The lights went down, I bounced up and down in my seat quietly squealing, "It's starting! It's starting!" while those around my stared in a "Um... six days too late for the premiere, honey," kind of way. For those who may not know, I don't like the Harry Potter films. I wasn't expecting to like this one. Why the excitement, you may ask? I can't explain it either. Perhaps it's because in every movie, there are always bits that I absolutely love, but the film as a whole just doesn't capture the essence of Harry Potter for me. I'm aware that this is not the case for others and good for them! Seriously! I wish I could enjoy them too! But all they seem to do is make me want to go home and cuddle my HP books.
So I got home and spilled out my thoughts onto a MS Word Doc and here it is. In dot points, quite messy and what I liked and didn't like interwoven.
I hate it how whenever there is a ‘serious’ discussion, it’s always between Harry and Hermione and Ron is just in the background, assuming he’s in the scene at all. I hate how he’s just a comic relief character. He’s a vital part of the trio! See: Deathly Hallows.
The complete lack of recognition of Sirius’s death. I think it was mentioned twice. Once in passing by Slughorn, and then by Bellatrix in that stupid scene at The Burrow. (What was even with that? All I could think was, “They are using valuable time on this stupid scene that wasn’t even in the book when we could be finding out about Horcruxes!”)
Too much romance and hormones, not enough Malfoy obsessing/Half-Blood Prince/Horcruxes.
I’d have rather they’d dropped Quidditch altogether than have a random scene that did nothing. Seriously, if you’re going to have Quidditch, commit to it! I wanted to see Gryffindor win the Quidditch Cup! Although Luna’s Gryffindor hat was completely made of win.
The revealing of the vanishing cabinets/room of requirement/Draco’s plan: utter fail. We knew what was happening from the beginning. And yet Harry didn’t seem the least bit fussed. I liked the experimenting with the apple and the birds. Also, they missed a really good foreshadowing opportunity to show Ravenclaw’s diadem in the room of requirement. But yeah, I only reckon they did that to cut out the “malfoyisuptosomethingmalfoyisuptosomethingmalfoyisuptosomething” Harry does in the book. Which I kinda guess is a good thing, but they cut out pretty much all the Malfoy angst.
I liked the Sectumsempra scene very much.
No Scrimgeour? Fail.
No Bill and Fleur? Fail.
No Gaunts? Fail.
No explanation who Greyback is? Fail.
Jim Broadbent was excellent. Simply marvellous. I can’t even describe how perfectly he played Slughorn. Kudos.
I was really looking forward to seeing Snape teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. Alas, there was none to be had. (None? NONE? How can that be? It was such an “OMG!” moment in the book! Gah!)
I loved the music.
The necklace scene with Katie Bell was sufficiently creepy. I really liked it.
Missed an epic Death Eaters vs Order of the Phoenix battle. (When Harry drunk all of the Felix Felicis I was all, “Noooo! What are you doing! Now everyone’s going to diiiiiiiiieeee!!”)
I laughed so so so hard at ‘Dragon balls’. I don’t even know why. I just found it hilarious. We now have a clear estimation of my level of maturity.
I heart Maggie Smith. She is just brilliant. In fact, sometimes I think the only reason I go and see Harry Potter films is for her, Alan Rickman and Robbie Coltrane.
Okay, I briefly mentioned this earlier, but I really want to elaborate. What the eff was up with the abridged Pensieve scenes/Horcrux discussion? I’ve always seen that as so vital (and also very interesting) to the next book. At the end of the film, Hermione said “You don’t expect to find these Horcruxes alone do you?” Well no flipping duh! He has no idea where to even begin! He knows nothing about Hufflepuff’s cup or how Voldemort wanted a position in the school. Harry has no idea of the significance Voldemort placed on what he chose his Horcruxes to be. When movie!Dumbledore said, “It could be an everyday item…” (or something to that effect) I must admit that I scoffed rather loudly because Dumbledore said entirely the opposite in the book! Gah! The significance of the cave was never mentioned. Neither was Nagini. And I swear, if Harry monologues and works out what the Horcruxes are through that in the next film, I will… I don’t even know because I’m pathetic and I know these movies will never be what I want them to be because I want them to be the books and that’s not possible but I get excited anyway and it’s just a vicious cycle.
I’m starting to think that Snape/Lily will just be left out of the movies altogether. Because there has been next to zero foreshadowing.
Yay for Spinner’s End! But WTF at Narcissa. Weirdy hair. And I liked Helena Bonham-Carter a lot more in this movie than in OotP. I don’t even know why. She was just… more evil? Maybe? Idk. I haven’t seen OotP since a couple of days after Deathly Hallows came out so I’d probably have to watch it again to work it out.
Why no funeral? It’s flipping Dumbledore! I didn’t even cry! So disappointing. I liked Snape telling Harry to be quiet but after that it was just a giant WTF? Except Draco because he was amazing. There just didn’t seem to be any build up or idek what I was expecting. But it was all over rather quickly in the book yet its emotional impact hit me so hard. Where did you go wrong, movie? Perhaps it was the lack of any actual climax. (Needed Death Eaters/OotP epic battleness.)
Dear Emma Watson, you and your eyebrows seemed to irk me less than usual, good job. But your hair after that potions lesson is how it should look all the time although I realise this isn’t your fault. You are still not Hermione to me. I thought you were fantastic in PS, why did you start playing Hermione as cool? Love Bek.
Dear Luna, you rock. Love Bek.
SYMBOLISM!
I think I should just stick to the books. Because what I want from these movies, the attention to detail I want isn’t even possible. I know it so my reactions are mostly unreasonable. But sometimes I just can’t help thinking, “Did these people even read the book?”
And for those who haven’t read the book… woah! I was trying to put myself in their shoes and I think it would have been really difficult to keep up. That’s the weird thing, it was a two and a half hour long movie that moved really quickly, and yet there didn’t seem to be much of… anything. There didn’t seem to be any real focus. They tried to make all the subplots (Half-Blood Prince/Pensieve/Draco/Romance) into one main plot and I really didn’t think it worked. And so much was said through SYMBOLISM that would have completely gone over a non-pothead’s… well, head.
I loved Jessie Cave as Lavender. She was hilarious! And Freddie Stroma as Cormac. Very funny. The finger in the mouth! I just about died.
While on the subject of comedy, “Don’t forget the pincers! *click click*”
And… “You just ... … ... know.” Oh, Alan Rickman!
I also loved some of the shots. Like when Ron and Lavender are kissing in the turret, and then it pans over to Draco looking all emo. Very nice.
I have to admit, one of the reasons I missed the whole 'Voldemort asking Dumbledore for a job' scene is that I really wanted to exclaim, "VOLDIE'S HOT!" Yes, I am ashamed of this. *hangs head*
Also missed 'Mollywobbles' I know it's miniscule and it didn't really bother me but I love that bit in the book. ^_^
I loved the interior of The Burrow! (And now it's goooonnnnneee! *sob*)
So yes, I know a lot of the things I have a problem with are completely unreasonable and the makers cannot possibly be expected to include everything but... whhhyyyy??? I don't really know what else to say. I just want to see my Harry Potter. *emo tear* But there were definitely some bits I really enjoyed.
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So yay! I finally saw it! The lights went down, I bounced up and down in my seat quietly squealing, "It's starting! It's starting!" while those around my stared in a "Um... six days too late for the premiere, honey," kind of way. For those who may not know, I don't like the Harry Potter films. I wasn't expecting to like this one. Why the excitement, you may ask? I can't explain it either. Perhaps it's because in every movie, there are always bits that I absolutely love, but the film as a whole just doesn't capture the essence of Harry Potter for me. I'm aware that this is not the case for others and good for them! Seriously! I wish I could enjoy them too! But all they seem to do is make me want to go home and cuddle my HP books.
So I got home and spilled out my thoughts onto a MS Word Doc and here it is. In dot points, quite messy and what I liked and didn't like interwoven.
I hate it how whenever there is a ‘serious’ discussion, it’s always between Harry and Hermione and Ron is just in the background, assuming he’s in the scene at all. I hate how he’s just a comic relief character. He’s a vital part of the trio! See: Deathly Hallows.
The complete lack of recognition of Sirius’s death. I think it was mentioned twice. Once in passing by Slughorn, and then by Bellatrix in that stupid scene at The Burrow. (What was even with that? All I could think was, “They are using valuable time on this stupid scene that wasn’t even in the book when we could be finding out about Horcruxes!”)
Too much romance and hormones, not enough Malfoy obsessing/Half-Blood Prince/Horcruxes.
I’d have rather they’d dropped Quidditch altogether than have a random scene that did nothing. Seriously, if you’re going to have Quidditch, commit to it! I wanted to see Gryffindor win the Quidditch Cup! Although Luna’s Gryffindor hat was completely made of win.
The revealing of the vanishing cabinets/room of requirement/Draco’s plan: utter fail. We knew what was happening from the beginning. And yet Harry didn’t seem the least bit fussed. I liked the experimenting with the apple and the birds. Also, they missed a really good foreshadowing opportunity to show Ravenclaw’s diadem in the room of requirement. But yeah, I only reckon they did that to cut out the “malfoyisuptosomethingmalfoyisuptosomethingmalfoyisuptosomething” Harry does in the book. Which I kinda guess is a good thing, but they cut out pretty much all the Malfoy angst.
I liked the Sectumsempra scene very much.
No Scrimgeour? Fail.
No Bill and Fleur? Fail.
No Gaunts? Fail.
No explanation who Greyback is? Fail.
Jim Broadbent was excellent. Simply marvellous. I can’t even describe how perfectly he played Slughorn. Kudos.
I was really looking forward to seeing Snape teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. Alas, there was none to be had. (None? NONE? How can that be? It was such an “OMG!” moment in the book! Gah!)
I loved the music.
The necklace scene with Katie Bell was sufficiently creepy. I really liked it.
Missed an epic Death Eaters vs Order of the Phoenix battle. (When Harry drunk all of the Felix Felicis I was all, “Noooo! What are you doing! Now everyone’s going to diiiiiiiiieeee!!”)
I laughed so so so hard at ‘Dragon balls’. I don’t even know why. I just found it hilarious. We now have a clear estimation of my level of maturity.
I heart Maggie Smith. She is just brilliant. In fact, sometimes I think the only reason I go and see Harry Potter films is for her, Alan Rickman and Robbie Coltrane.
Okay, I briefly mentioned this earlier, but I really want to elaborate. What the eff was up with the abridged Pensieve scenes/Horcrux discussion? I’ve always seen that as so vital (and also very interesting) to the next book. At the end of the film, Hermione said “You don’t expect to find these Horcruxes alone do you?” Well no flipping duh! He has no idea where to even begin! He knows nothing about Hufflepuff’s cup or how Voldemort wanted a position in the school. Harry has no idea of the significance Voldemort placed on what he chose his Horcruxes to be. When movie!Dumbledore said, “It could be an everyday item…” (or something to that effect) I must admit that I scoffed rather loudly because Dumbledore said entirely the opposite in the book! Gah! The significance of the cave was never mentioned. Neither was Nagini. And I swear, if Harry monologues and works out what the Horcruxes are through that in the next film, I will… I don’t even know because I’m pathetic and I know these movies will never be what I want them to be because I want them to be the books and that’s not possible but I get excited anyway and it’s just a vicious cycle.
I’m starting to think that Snape/Lily will just be left out of the movies altogether. Because there has been next to zero foreshadowing.
Yay for Spinner’s End! But WTF at Narcissa. Weirdy hair. And I liked Helena Bonham-Carter a lot more in this movie than in OotP. I don’t even know why. She was just… more evil? Maybe? Idk. I haven’t seen OotP since a couple of days after Deathly Hallows came out so I’d probably have to watch it again to work it out.
Why no funeral? It’s flipping Dumbledore! I didn’t even cry! So disappointing. I liked Snape telling Harry to be quiet but after that it was just a giant WTF? Except Draco because he was amazing. There just didn’t seem to be any build up or idek what I was expecting. But it was all over rather quickly in the book yet its emotional impact hit me so hard. Where did you go wrong, movie? Perhaps it was the lack of any actual climax. (Needed Death Eaters/OotP epic battleness.)
Dear Emma Watson, you and your eyebrows seemed to irk me less than usual, good job. But your hair after that potions lesson is how it should look all the time although I realise this isn’t your fault. You are still not Hermione to me. I thought you were fantastic in PS, why did you start playing Hermione as cool? Love Bek.
Dear Luna, you rock. Love Bek.
SYMBOLISM!
I think I should just stick to the books. Because what I want from these movies, the attention to detail I want isn’t even possible. I know it so my reactions are mostly unreasonable. But sometimes I just can’t help thinking, “Did these people even read the book?”
And for those who haven’t read the book… woah! I was trying to put myself in their shoes and I think it would have been really difficult to keep up. That’s the weird thing, it was a two and a half hour long movie that moved really quickly, and yet there didn’t seem to be much of… anything. There didn’t seem to be any real focus. They tried to make all the subplots (Half-Blood Prince/Pensieve/Draco/Romance) into one main plot and I really didn’t think it worked. And so much was said through SYMBOLISM that would have completely gone over a non-pothead’s… well, head.
I loved Jessie Cave as Lavender. She was hilarious! And Freddie Stroma as Cormac. Very funny. The finger in the mouth! I just about died.
While on the subject of comedy, “Don’t forget the pincers! *click click*”
And… “You just ... … ... know.” Oh, Alan Rickman!
I also loved some of the shots. Like when Ron and Lavender are kissing in the turret, and then it pans over to Draco looking all emo. Very nice.
I have to admit, one of the reasons I missed the whole 'Voldemort asking Dumbledore for a job' scene is that I really wanted to exclaim, "VOLDIE'S HOT!" Yes, I am ashamed of this. *hangs head*
Also missed 'Mollywobbles' I know it's miniscule and it didn't really bother me but I love that bit in the book. ^_^
I loved the interior of The Burrow! (And now it's goooonnnnneee! *sob*)
So yes, I know a lot of the things I have a problem with are completely unreasonable and the makers cannot possibly be expected to include everything but... whhhyyyy??? I don't really know what else to say. I just want to see my Harry Potter. *emo tear* But there were definitely some bits I really enjoyed.
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