Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince
Minor spoilers as to what was left out and changed (and MAJOR spoilers if you don't know the ending of this story, but really, even if you haven't read the books, you live under a rock if you don't know who dies in this movie...)
But I think, now almost a week since I went to the midnight showing, I love that movie. Not as much as I loved 5, but I loved book 5 more than book 6. I was at first disappointed and depressed. But after further thought, I remembered the book made me feel depressed as well. And the anticlimactic feeling was there as well in the book cuz I remember thinking, "Wow all this buildup and action to... Dumbledore getting killed by that freaking curse that really is the worst thing in the world cuz you can't stop it, you can't protect yourself from it, its just.... over. Somehow worse than a gunshot to me, cuz with a gunshot there's always that hope... Wait, where did they get hit? You know? Not with this curse... It always leaves me feeling stunned when the Harry Potter universe kills someone with the AK...
Anyway, the point is, I didn't leave the movie theatre blown away and excited and amazed, like I have in past HP installments. But then I started thinking about it. About all the wonderful little things that make Harry Potter a beloved universe. The details that go into the shortest scenes, like the Weasley shop. How wonderful that they made the cut :) And I realized how much I heartily enjoyed every second of Sweet Valley Hogwarts ridiculousness. And I realized that my blood ran cold at the sight of Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback. And I remembered that until this movie we didn't see that Tom Felton really is a great actor. And I felt sorry for Draco, the way I did in the book. And I felt angry at Snape (even knowing how things end). And I felt empty and hollow watching Harry cry over Dumbledore. And I sense of comraderie and very determined when Hermione and Ron demanded to go wherever the heck Harry needs to go next....
And so now, I don't care so much that there wasn't a lot of action in Hogwarts and the end of this movie. Because I know there was SOME in the book, but not nearly as much as there will be in the next. And really, its unimportant in the broad scheme of things. And really, what Bellatrix did in the Great Hall certainly served its purpose. And I don't mind so much that the Burrow was attacked at Christmas, cuz really, in the book a lot of places were attacked, they just made it closer to home in the movie. I DID miss Scrimgoeur. cuz I really have an affectation for the Ministry politics. But realistically, I know you can make movies without all that. It just makes for more interesting books...
Anyway, I'm ready to go again. The second time is always better for me with Harry Potter movies, cuz I know what to expect, so any dissappointment from missing or changed elements isn't an issue.
I've upped my original rating, to a 4 out 5 stars... It may go up further after another viewing...
But I think, now almost a week since I went to the midnight showing, I love that movie. Not as much as I loved 5, but I loved book 5 more than book 6. I was at first disappointed and depressed. But after further thought, I remembered the book made me feel depressed as well. And the anticlimactic feeling was there as well in the book cuz I remember thinking, "Wow all this buildup and action to... Dumbledore getting killed by that freaking curse that really is the worst thing in the world cuz you can't stop it, you can't protect yourself from it, its just.... over. Somehow worse than a gunshot to me, cuz with a gunshot there's always that hope... Wait, where did they get hit? You know? Not with this curse... It always leaves me feeling stunned when the Harry Potter universe kills someone with the AK...
Anyway, the point is, I didn't leave the movie theatre blown away and excited and amazed, like I have in past HP installments. But then I started thinking about it. About all the wonderful little things that make Harry Potter a beloved universe. The details that go into the shortest scenes, like the Weasley shop. How wonderful that they made the cut :) And I realized how much I heartily enjoyed every second of Sweet Valley Hogwarts ridiculousness. And I realized that my blood ran cold at the sight of Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback. And I remembered that until this movie we didn't see that Tom Felton really is a great actor. And I felt sorry for Draco, the way I did in the book. And I felt angry at Snape (even knowing how things end). And I felt empty and hollow watching Harry cry over Dumbledore. And I sense of comraderie and very determined when Hermione and Ron demanded to go wherever the heck Harry needs to go next....
And so now, I don't care so much that there wasn't a lot of action in Hogwarts and the end of this movie. Because I know there was SOME in the book, but not nearly as much as there will be in the next. And really, its unimportant in the broad scheme of things. And really, what Bellatrix did in the Great Hall certainly served its purpose. And I don't mind so much that the Burrow was attacked at Christmas, cuz really, in the book a lot of places were attacked, they just made it closer to home in the movie. I DID miss Scrimgoeur. cuz I really have an affectation for the Ministry politics. But realistically, I know you can make movies without all that. It just makes for more interesting books...
Anyway, I'm ready to go again. The second time is always better for me with Harry Potter movies, cuz I know what to expect, so any dissappointment from missing or changed elements isn't an issue.
I've upped my original rating, to a 4 out 5 stars... It may go up further after another viewing...