Deathly Hallows Part 2
Wow, I haven't updated in forever, but I guess this is as good a time as any. Went to the midnight showing (of course) of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 last night with Nick, Katelyn, and Brittany and it was ~magical~.
* First off, I'm glad we didn't see it in 3D, because it gives me a headache, but how cute were those Potter 3D glasses? So jealous.
* Ok, I love Alexandre Desplat. The music in this was beautiful. I've been listening to the soundtrack and Lily's Theme is giving me goosebumps (And I'm someone who's getting very tired of the "woman hauntingly wails over the soundtrack" trope, but this was very well done.)
* What was with Alan Rickman's makeup job in this? Snape/Smoky Eyes= OTP!
* Warwick Davis is awesome.
* Helena Bonham Carter was awesome as Hermione!Bellatrix. Her mannerisms were spot on. Pity I still don't like her portrayal of Bellatrix!Bellatrix. :/
* The dragon looked fantastic. Honestly, all the effects in this one were spectacular. I think they just went all out on their budget and it was definitely worth it. The big, protective bubble over Hogwarts looked amazing.
* LOLOLOL at the scene where they come out the water and Harry and Ron just start pulling their clothes off while Hermione stands there dripping wet.
Me: What is this? Twilight?
* What was with that alarm in Hogsmeade?
Nick: Is that the Screaming Cats Alarm? MEOWMEOWMEOW
* I can't believe how much Ciaran Hinds looked like he could be Michael Gambon's brother with that beard on. I'm a little annoyed they didn't explain a bit more about Ariana, as Aberforth's statements about Dumbledore sacrificing her made no sense without context, but whatever.
*All the dialogue/banter between the kids is so great. Steve Kloves does do a much better job at writing teenagers than Jo (hence one of the reasons I've liked the last few movies the best despite the fact that the books they're based on are my least favorite in the series).
Ron: She hasn't seen me in six months and it's like I'm Frankie First Year. I'm your brother.
Seamus: She has lots of those, though. There's only one Harry.
Ron: Shut up, Seamus.
* Really disliked Harry's reckless confrontation with Snape in The Great Hall, but loved McGonagall's duel with Snape. McGonagall = HBIC. Maggie Smith is seriously the shit. "*giggles* I've always wanted to use that spell!" ♥
* Oh, Filch.
* I liked the way Voldemort's announcements were projected into everyone's heads. Creepy.
*Hee! at them validating that stupid running gag with stuff always blowing up in Seamus' face. McGonagall: I believe Mr. Finnegan has a knack for pyrotechnics.
* I'm so glad there was minimal Tonks/Lupin in the films, because, I'm sorry, but that ship makes zero sense to me (Maybe I'd have thought differently if the relationship had actually made Remus happy and not a miserable drunk).
[Remus and Tonks stretch out their arms to hold hands during the battle, but don't quite touch]
Me: You know, you could just... take one step to the left, right? No? Ok.
* NEVILLE'S SUCH A BOSS. REAL HERO. NEVILLE WOULD'VE DONE IT IN FOUR BOOKS, ETC.
* I liked that we got to see Ron and Hermione's trip down to the Chamber of Secrets and LOVE that they totally lampshaded the bullshit about Ron being able to speak Parseltongue he heard five years ago adequately enough to get the door open: "Harry talks in his sleep". I'm glad they were able to find another reason for Ron and Hermione to share a kiss, but thought that something about the blocking of the kiss itself was odd. Too rushed or something. A rushed kiss was ok when it was Hermione throwing herself at Ron for something he said, but here, I think, it would've been more appropriate where they embrace, happy to still be alive, and then just slowly/hesitantly evolve into kissing.
* Oh, shit, they showed Fenrir mauling Lavender. Daaaaaark.
* Snape's Death
Again, the camera work here was fantastic. I was really wondering how they were going to depict Snape's death on film because even when I was reading the book, I was like "...Wait, so Nagini's in a bubble? Wrapped around Snape's head? ...Huh?" Showing Snape's death from the kids' perspectives with Snape's bloody body thudding against the window was more chilling and powerful than anything they could've directly shown.
The death scene itself was fantastic. Alan Rickman was heartbreaking, though I didn't like that they tacked on the unnecessary "You have your mother's eyes" line. The simple "Look at me" is far more powerful/subtle, although "You have your mother's eyes" set off some girl in the back of our theater to sobbing. I'm not kidding, she sounded like she was ugly crying.
* [In the Great Hall, the camera pans around to reveal Tonks and Remus laying dead side by side, Tonks' hand reaching out for Remus', though they still aren't touching.]
Me: Even in death, he can't pull off the facade of heterosexuality.
Nick: Heeeeeee.
(I am convinced Nick and I were the most cynical people in that theater)
* Dude, did they kill off Parvati? What the shit?
* I have mixed feelings about how they dealt with Fred's death. On one hand, I liked that we didn't see his death on screen. Given how it goes down in the books, it wouldn't have made sense in the film. On the other hand, the twins have been somewhat major players/breakaway favorites in the movies and I think Fred's character might've been owed a bit more than that.
* Snape's Worst Memory
Hoo, boy, ok. While I liked a lot about this sequence, I was very disappointed they didn't give it the full time it deserved. My biggest complaint is that, once again, they left out the most crucial part of Snape's Worst Memory - Snape calling Lily a Mudblood. That is a very, very important moment for understanding Snape's character and the trajectory of Snape and Lily's relationship. Without it, it just looked like Snape loved Lily, never had the guts to tell her how he felt, and so he lost her to James. No mention of his Death Eater friends at school and how uncomfortable that made Lily or how/why Snape was attracted to the Death Eaters in the first place. No mention of the Mudblood incident or his attempts to apologize. No indication at all, really, that Snape was a hardcore Death Eater who kill and tortured until it was someone he loved who got hurt. It looked like nothing more than a sappy, unrequited love story. That is so boring and much too Snape-apologist for my taste.
And it isn't as if they couldn't have made time for it. They could've easily shown the Mudblood incident in lieu of Snape showing up in Godric's Hollow and cradling Lily's dead body, which was, devastating imagery aside, ridiculous. You're telling me that Snape showed up there, lost his shit sobbing and holding her, but managed to pull it together long enough to get out of there before Sirius and Hagrid showed up? Also, Harry's bedroom was described by Hagrid as having been destroyed; Sirius picked baby Harry up out of a pile of rubble. Why is it we get such inconsistent version of what went down at Godric's Hollow?
ALSO, while we're on that note, what was with the flashback of Lily calmly telling Harry that he has been loved and that he has to be brave? A) Why would Snape have that memory since he WASN'T THERE and B) when would Lily have had time to say all this? Lily was hysterical and crying by the time Voldemort got upstairs. To show her looking so calm and composed makes her look even stupider for not just apparating with the baby out of the house. Also, the footage of her death in the previous films clearly shows that she was panicking and that she had Harry in her arms when Voldemort blew the door open. This new piece doesn't fit at all.
I know it can't be helped, but it was so awkward to see Michael Gambon as Dumbledore in the flashback scenes.
[After the movie]
Me: So... he apparently just looked like Richard Harris for two years?
Nick: Maybe he was experimenting with Polyjuice Potion and thought "I WANT TO LOOK LIKE MY FAVORITE ACTOR!"
Me: "RICHARD HARRIS IS SO DREAMY!"
* Aw @ the scene where Ron and Hermione realize what Harry has to do.
* THE RESURRECTION SCENE. OH GOD SO MANY FEELINGS. EVERYONE IN THE THEATER WAS SNIFFLING. REMUS WITHOUT ALL THE SCARS ON HIS FACE! B'AWWWW. ALTHOUGH...
[Harry: Remus, your son...]
Me: *as Remus* "Who?"
* [Harry wanders through a stark white King's Cross]
Nick: *as Harry* Man, heaven sucks.
* Oh my God, the bit where Voldemort parrots Bellatrix's triumphant cackle... everyone in the theater cracked. up. Why was Voldemort so fucking funny in this movie? I really don't get Ralph Fiennes(who I KNOW can play a cold, chilling bastard)'s portrayal sometimes.
Nick: He's too whimsically evil at times. Like if Willy Wonka were an evil wizard.
Me: That's the problem I have with Helena's Bellatrix. Too zany-evil.
* VOLDEMORT HUGGING DRACO! HEE! EW! HEE! EW! I lost it at the expression on Dean's face during that it, this sort of disgusted smirk, like "Ohhhhh, I get it now." LOL.
* Ok, movies, is there a reason why you somehow manage to take all the worst parts of the books and make them better, but can't seem to get the best parts right? I was very let down by Neville's shining moment. They did the same thing they with him that they did with Dobby - gave him some big, sappy, cornball, wannabe-epic speech. Lol@ Voldemort just standing there, politely listening to Neville rant for that long, though.
That scene was so much better in the book. Just a simple, "JOIN ME!" "WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER!" *pulls the sword from the hat and kills the fucking snake with a single stroke in FULL VIEW OF EVERYONE YES NEVILLE THE BADASS*
Also, the timing of that scene is important: Neville kills the snake and THEN Harry reveals he isn't dead to confront Voldemort. I find it very hard to believe Harry would take on Voldemort one-on-one, knowing that Nagini was still alive. Harry is stupid, but he isn't THAT stupid.
* Whee! @ Molly's "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" but WTF@ Bellatrix turning into a mummy and exploding. I HATED that. It was so cartoonish. Again, book did it better. Molly goes in fierce, momma-lion mode as Bellatrix mocks her and tells her all about how she's going to kill her children, when BOOM! Molly fucking AK's her in the chest. So much cooler.
* LOL The Malfoys just calmly striding away. RUN YOU FABULOUS, COWARDLY BITCHES, RUN!
* Lol, the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort. I don't even know. I didn't really like their final battle in the book, so I won't complain, but WHY SO MUCH SILLY, MOVIE?
* One last nitpick, I didn't like Voldemort dissolving into ash. It's so much more effective in the book where Harry is staring down at this shrivelled body, thinking how small he looks. Plus, with a villain who's resurrected so often, a body would've been nice.
[Voldemort!ash wafts up into the air]
Me: Ew, they're breathing that.
Nick: Lol
* NEVILLE AND LUNA! NEVILLE AND LUNA! ♥
*[After the battle, Harry clambers up onto a balustrade on the bridge that stretches across a deep ravine]
Nick: I swear to God, if you slip and fall now...
*[Harry snaps the Elder Wand in two and throws the pieces into the ravine as Ron and Hermione watch in bewilderment]
Me: Ron dives in after it.
* [After throwing the wand, Harry wanders away and stares off into the distance for an awkwardly long time]
Me: *as Harry* Yeah, uh... I'm kind of regretting that now.
* [Title card: 19 Years Later]
Nick and I: *audibly groan*
* LOL GINNY'S MOM HAIR. DRACO'S SCRAGGLY LITTLE BEARD. Thank God they reshot the epilogue with better makeup because, the original makeup... seriously?
Anyway, overall thoughts: Despite my complaints, I loved it. If you look at Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 as a single film, it's easily the best in the series, if only cinematically. I love the direction David Yates took the franchise and the overall look of the last few films. The direction in this movie was beautiful. There was absolutely nothing about it that said "Family Film!" It was appropriately adult, which I appreciate.
I do find it a bit silly the way everyone is banging on about "THIS IS THE END OF HARRY POTTER, MAN!" The end of Harry Potter, if there was one, was four years ago when the final book came out. I hate to sound like a dork, but there is no end to Harry Potter. The books will always be there on our shelves, waiting for us. It may no longer be new for us, but it will always be new for others (like our kids, should we choose to have any). Plus, we'll have Pottermore (whatever it is) and fandom, and, who knows, we may still be surprised with a mini-series one day. It, like the childhood we're each claiming to be over, will be over only if we choose it to be.
That said... yes, I am still sad that it's over, but it's sadness I know will pass.
In the mean time, though...
I'll probably be seeing it again when Chase and Nikki go to see it.
I linked Nick to The Shoebox_Project with the suggestion he read it. Heh, we'll see how that goes.
* First off, I'm glad we didn't see it in 3D, because it gives me a headache, but how cute were those Potter 3D glasses? So jealous.
* Ok, I love Alexandre Desplat. The music in this was beautiful. I've been listening to the soundtrack and Lily's Theme is giving me goosebumps (And I'm someone who's getting very tired of the "woman hauntingly wails over the soundtrack" trope, but this was very well done.)
* What was with Alan Rickman's makeup job in this? Snape/Smoky Eyes= OTP!
* Warwick Davis is awesome.
* Helena Bonham Carter was awesome as Hermione!Bellatrix. Her mannerisms were spot on. Pity I still don't like her portrayal of Bellatrix!Bellatrix. :/
* The dragon looked fantastic. Honestly, all the effects in this one were spectacular. I think they just went all out on their budget and it was definitely worth it. The big, protective bubble over Hogwarts looked amazing.
* LOLOLOL at the scene where they come out the water and Harry and Ron just start pulling their clothes off while Hermione stands there dripping wet.
Me: What is this? Twilight?
* What was with that alarm in Hogsmeade?
Nick: Is that the Screaming Cats Alarm? MEOWMEOWMEOW
* I can't believe how much Ciaran Hinds looked like he could be Michael Gambon's brother with that beard on. I'm a little annoyed they didn't explain a bit more about Ariana, as Aberforth's statements about Dumbledore sacrificing her made no sense without context, but whatever.
*All the dialogue/banter between the kids is so great. Steve Kloves does do a much better job at writing teenagers than Jo (hence one of the reasons I've liked the last few movies the best despite the fact that the books they're based on are my least favorite in the series).
Ron: She hasn't seen me in six months and it's like I'm Frankie First Year. I'm your brother.
Seamus: She has lots of those, though. There's only one Harry.
Ron: Shut up, Seamus.
* Really disliked Harry's reckless confrontation with Snape in The Great Hall, but loved McGonagall's duel with Snape. McGonagall = HBIC. Maggie Smith is seriously the shit. "*giggles* I've always wanted to use that spell!" ♥
* Oh, Filch.
* I liked the way Voldemort's announcements were projected into everyone's heads. Creepy.
*Hee! at them validating that stupid running gag with stuff always blowing up in Seamus' face. McGonagall: I believe Mr. Finnegan has a knack for pyrotechnics.
* I'm so glad there was minimal Tonks/Lupin in the films, because, I'm sorry, but that ship makes zero sense to me (Maybe I'd have thought differently if the relationship had actually made Remus happy and not a miserable drunk).
[Remus and Tonks stretch out their arms to hold hands during the battle, but don't quite touch]
Me: You know, you could just... take one step to the left, right? No? Ok.
* NEVILLE'S SUCH A BOSS. REAL HERO. NEVILLE WOULD'VE DONE IT IN FOUR BOOKS, ETC.
* I liked that we got to see Ron and Hermione's trip down to the Chamber of Secrets and LOVE that they totally lampshaded the bullshit about Ron being able to speak Parseltongue he heard five years ago adequately enough to get the door open: "Harry talks in his sleep". I'm glad they were able to find another reason for Ron and Hermione to share a kiss, but thought that something about the blocking of the kiss itself was odd. Too rushed or something. A rushed kiss was ok when it was Hermione throwing herself at Ron for something he said, but here, I think, it would've been more appropriate where they embrace, happy to still be alive, and then just slowly/hesitantly evolve into kissing.
* Oh, shit, they showed Fenrir mauling Lavender. Daaaaaark.
* Snape's Death
Again, the camera work here was fantastic. I was really wondering how they were going to depict Snape's death on film because even when I was reading the book, I was like "...Wait, so Nagini's in a bubble? Wrapped around Snape's head? ...Huh?" Showing Snape's death from the kids' perspectives with Snape's bloody body thudding against the window was more chilling and powerful than anything they could've directly shown.
The death scene itself was fantastic. Alan Rickman was heartbreaking, though I didn't like that they tacked on the unnecessary "You have your mother's eyes" line. The simple "Look at me" is far more powerful/subtle, although "You have your mother's eyes" set off some girl in the back of our theater to sobbing. I'm not kidding, she sounded like she was ugly crying.
* [In the Great Hall, the camera pans around to reveal Tonks and Remus laying dead side by side, Tonks' hand reaching out for Remus', though they still aren't touching.]
Me: Even in death, he can't pull off the facade of heterosexuality.
Nick: Heeeeeee.
(I am convinced Nick and I were the most cynical people in that theater)
* Dude, did they kill off Parvati? What the shit?
* I have mixed feelings about how they dealt with Fred's death. On one hand, I liked that we didn't see his death on screen. Given how it goes down in the books, it wouldn't have made sense in the film. On the other hand, the twins have been somewhat major players/breakaway favorites in the movies and I think Fred's character might've been owed a bit more than that.
* Snape's Worst Memory
Hoo, boy, ok. While I liked a lot about this sequence, I was very disappointed they didn't give it the full time it deserved. My biggest complaint is that, once again, they left out the most crucial part of Snape's Worst Memory - Snape calling Lily a Mudblood. That is a very, very important moment for understanding Snape's character and the trajectory of Snape and Lily's relationship. Without it, it just looked like Snape loved Lily, never had the guts to tell her how he felt, and so he lost her to James. No mention of his Death Eater friends at school and how uncomfortable that made Lily or how/why Snape was attracted to the Death Eaters in the first place. No mention of the Mudblood incident or his attempts to apologize. No indication at all, really, that Snape was a hardcore Death Eater who kill and tortured until it was someone he loved who got hurt. It looked like nothing more than a sappy, unrequited love story. That is so boring and much too Snape-apologist for my taste.
And it isn't as if they couldn't have made time for it. They could've easily shown the Mudblood incident in lieu of Snape showing up in Godric's Hollow and cradling Lily's dead body, which was, devastating imagery aside, ridiculous. You're telling me that Snape showed up there, lost his shit sobbing and holding her, but managed to pull it together long enough to get out of there before Sirius and Hagrid showed up? Also, Harry's bedroom was described by Hagrid as having been destroyed; Sirius picked baby Harry up out of a pile of rubble. Why is it we get such inconsistent version of what went down at Godric's Hollow?
ALSO, while we're on that note, what was with the flashback of Lily calmly telling Harry that he has been loved and that he has to be brave? A) Why would Snape have that memory since he WASN'T THERE and B) when would Lily have had time to say all this? Lily was hysterical and crying by the time Voldemort got upstairs. To show her looking so calm and composed makes her look even stupider for not just apparating with the baby out of the house. Also, the footage of her death in the previous films clearly shows that she was panicking and that she had Harry in her arms when Voldemort blew the door open. This new piece doesn't fit at all.
I know it can't be helped, but it was so awkward to see Michael Gambon as Dumbledore in the flashback scenes.
[After the movie]
Me: So... he apparently just looked like Richard Harris for two years?
Nick: Maybe he was experimenting with Polyjuice Potion and thought "I WANT TO LOOK LIKE MY FAVORITE ACTOR!"
Me: "RICHARD HARRIS IS SO DREAMY!"
* Aw @ the scene where Ron and Hermione realize what Harry has to do.
* THE RESURRECTION SCENE. OH GOD SO MANY FEELINGS. EVERYONE IN THE THEATER WAS SNIFFLING. REMUS WITHOUT ALL THE SCARS ON HIS FACE! B'AWWWW. ALTHOUGH...
[Harry: Remus, your son...]
Me: *as Remus* "Who?"
* [Harry wanders through a stark white King's Cross]
Nick: *as Harry* Man, heaven sucks.
* Oh my God, the bit where Voldemort parrots Bellatrix's triumphant cackle... everyone in the theater cracked. up. Why was Voldemort so fucking funny in this movie? I really don't get Ralph Fiennes(who I KNOW can play a cold, chilling bastard)'s portrayal sometimes.
Nick: He's too whimsically evil at times. Like if Willy Wonka were an evil wizard.
Me: That's the problem I have with Helena's Bellatrix. Too zany-evil.
* VOLDEMORT HUGGING DRACO! HEE! EW! HEE! EW! I lost it at the expression on Dean's face during that it, this sort of disgusted smirk, like "Ohhhhh, I get it now." LOL.
* Ok, movies, is there a reason why you somehow manage to take all the worst parts of the books and make them better, but can't seem to get the best parts right? I was very let down by Neville's shining moment. They did the same thing they with him that they did with Dobby - gave him some big, sappy, cornball, wannabe-epic speech. Lol@ Voldemort just standing there, politely listening to Neville rant for that long, though.
That scene was so much better in the book. Just a simple, "JOIN ME!" "WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER!" *pulls the sword from the hat and kills the fucking snake with a single stroke in FULL VIEW OF EVERYONE YES NEVILLE THE BADASS*
Also, the timing of that scene is important: Neville kills the snake and THEN Harry reveals he isn't dead to confront Voldemort. I find it very hard to believe Harry would take on Voldemort one-on-one, knowing that Nagini was still alive. Harry is stupid, but he isn't THAT stupid.
* Whee! @ Molly's "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" but WTF@ Bellatrix turning into a mummy and exploding. I HATED that. It was so cartoonish. Again, book did it better. Molly goes in fierce, momma-lion mode as Bellatrix mocks her and tells her all about how she's going to kill her children, when BOOM! Molly fucking AK's her in the chest. So much cooler.
* LOL The Malfoys just calmly striding away. RUN YOU FABULOUS, COWARDLY BITCHES, RUN!
* Lol, the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort. I don't even know. I didn't really like their final battle in the book, so I won't complain, but WHY SO MUCH SILLY, MOVIE?
* One last nitpick, I didn't like Voldemort dissolving into ash. It's so much more effective in the book where Harry is staring down at this shrivelled body, thinking how small he looks. Plus, with a villain who's resurrected so often, a body would've been nice.
[Voldemort!ash wafts up into the air]
Me: Ew, they're breathing that.
Nick: Lol
* NEVILLE AND LUNA! NEVILLE AND LUNA! ♥
*[After the battle, Harry clambers up onto a balustrade on the bridge that stretches across a deep ravine]
Nick: I swear to God, if you slip and fall now...
*[Harry snaps the Elder Wand in two and throws the pieces into the ravine as Ron and Hermione watch in bewilderment]
Me: Ron dives in after it.
* [After throwing the wand, Harry wanders away and stares off into the distance for an awkwardly long time]
Me: *as Harry* Yeah, uh... I'm kind of regretting that now.
* [Title card: 19 Years Later]
Nick and I: *audibly groan*
* LOL GINNY'S MOM HAIR. DRACO'S SCRAGGLY LITTLE BEARD. Thank God they reshot the epilogue with better makeup because, the original makeup... seriously?
Anyway, overall thoughts: Despite my complaints, I loved it. If you look at Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 as a single film, it's easily the best in the series, if only cinematically. I love the direction David Yates took the franchise and the overall look of the last few films. The direction in this movie was beautiful. There was absolutely nothing about it that said "Family Film!" It was appropriately adult, which I appreciate.
I do find it a bit silly the way everyone is banging on about "THIS IS THE END OF HARRY POTTER, MAN!" The end of Harry Potter, if there was one, was four years ago when the final book came out. I hate to sound like a dork, but there is no end to Harry Potter. The books will always be there on our shelves, waiting for us. It may no longer be new for us, but it will always be new for others (like our kids, should we choose to have any). Plus, we'll have Pottermore (whatever it is) and fandom, and, who knows, we may still be surprised with a mini-series one day. It, like the childhood we're each claiming to be over, will be over only if we choose it to be.
That said... yes, I am still sad that it's over, but it's sadness I know will pass.
In the mean time, though...
I'll probably be seeing it again when Chase and Nikki go to see it.
I linked Nick to The Shoebox_Project with the suggestion he read it. Heh, we'll see how that goes.