Deathly Hallows reaction post
This is not going to be a proper review, primarily because my love for Harry Potter has softened into a kind of simple, warm, nostalgic fangirl pleasure that I just slip happily into whenever I revisit the series. I loved Deathly Hallows as a film; I think it's the best one they've made so far - beautiful art direction, good pacing, much better acting - but tbh, in the end the experience just boiled down to fannish delight, at seeing new characters cast, favourite bits of the book played out, at having an opportunity to get excited about Harry Potter again.
So, a reaction post instead.
Things I loved:
- the opening sequence - perfectly balanced, and genuinely moving. Great decision to show Hermione modifying her parents' memories, and while I've not much love for Emma Watson, I thought she did an exceptional job in that scene. You could FEEL all the horrible memories that No. 4 Privet Drive held for Harry as he wandered through it, and my heart just BROKE when he took a last look at his cupboard. Lovely lightness of touch showing Ginny and Molly in the warmth of the Burrow behind Ron, thoughtful and a little melancholy outside.
- I very much approve of scruffy, beaten-down and dispirited Lucius Malfoy ¬_¬
- despite Tonks the Horrendously Awkward Exposition Fairy, the seven Harrys sequence was probably the most genuinely funny and entertaining bit in any of the films so far. Special love for Fleur!Harry in her bra.
- I don't particularly like the twins in the book, but I was genuinely touched by film!Fred's reaction to George getting his ear cut off - huge depth of feeling all through that scene.
- Bill Nighy's Scrimgeour. Yes, film!Scrimgeour doesn't have half the book's characterisation, but stiffness, tiredness, and faint patheticness (in both senses of the word) was all his more limited role needed, and was beautifully portrayed.
- Every time Ron looked at Hermione ;_; <3 And in fact, Rupert Grint's performance throughout the camping section, and in the eventual fight with Harry - totally believable and really IC.
- I may love Ron/Hermione, but I also LOVED the scene where Harry and Hermione danced. I don't think it was platonic, either; I think there was definite UST there - and you know what, I loved that, because it's realistic. I do think Ron and Hermione are well suited, and I certainly don't think you can argue with the fact that it was on the cards from pretty fucking early on, but I also think that in the kind of situation Harry and Hermione find themselves in DH, lonely and intense and dangerous, it's entirely reasonable that they would look at each other and at least wonder.
- Ministry mission was very deftly and economically done, and kudos to the three adult actors for managing to give an impression of the three kids still there behind the polyjuice potion.
- Can't say I'd blame Dumbledore, if Grindelwald looked like he does in the films. Unf.
- Godric's Hollow sequence, WOW. Beautifully shot, and so well acted - I really didn't think DanRad and Emma Watson had that kind of subtlety in them, ngl. Bathilda coming out of the snake was nowhere near gross enough, though.
- Xenophilius = love, and when I say love I mean ;_;
- Hermione's explanation of why the Sword of Gryffindor can destroy horcruxes actually makes more sense than the book does. I think this might be the only time in all 7 films where this is true.
- I could HEAR the fanfiction being written when Bellatrix pinned Hermione to the floor in the Malfoy Manor sequence. Although how she managed to BITE "mudblood" onto Hermione's arm, I have no idea.
Things I missed:
- NO ALBINO PEACOCKS. I am disappoint >:( As someone who consumed truly embarrassing amounts of pretentious, florid, entirely un-canonical aristo-slytherfic back in the day, those peacocks at the beginning of DH were a source of much much joy and lulz.
- Dudley's goodbye. One of my favourite bits of the whole book :/
- Krum at the wedding. I love Krum, and I love that whole conversation he has with Harry about his wand. Mind you, I really, REALLY hated what the films did with Krum in GoF (he is NOT just brawny; he's supposed to be smart and brave and talented and that's why Hermione likes him and keeps writing to him >:/ ), so maybe it's a good thing they left him out.
- Kreacher's Tale. I know the films have decided to leave out pretty much all the house elf subplot, but Kreacher is just SO important; I don't see why you'd pare his story down as much as they have.
- "she's like a sister" - not just for shippy reasons, but because it's such a lovely moment of friendship and forgiveness and reassurance between Harry and Ron.
Things I didn't like:
- Ron's viciousness in the cafe. I know he suggests killing the Death Eaters in the book, but the book also says that he sounded "profoundly relieved" when Harry says no. Did not think his willingness to kill them in the film was IC at all.
- Hermione's "let's stay here and grow old" line. Just, WTF? Again, not IC at all. When does Hermione ever show any sign of that kind of thinking? If anything, she's even more tireless about trying to do good and change the world than Harry.
- The fact that Ron's walking out and return didn't ever really seem to get properly dealt with - there was no real emotional resolution or readjustment around it; it felt pretty incidental.
- Bill Weasley is not hot enough.
- Dobby's death was overblown to the point of ridiculousness - and this is coming from someone who did actually tear up a bit at "here lies Dobby, a free elf" in the books. Also, Harry, WTF, a sand dune does not a good grave make.
Work continues, slowly but surely. I am also making an effort to start Applying for Things, i.e. jobs, so that I don't fall off the end of this PhD into unemployment. I've been trying to think of things I might want to and be able to do that aren't higher education teaching, given that I suspect Bad Things are going to happen to the HE job market under this government. The BBC is currently top of my list; they're doing a big recruitment drive for the new MediaCityUK at Salford. I emailed them a CV last week, asking to be considered for jobs in the Content Making sector; I got through the initial "let's make sure you're not taking the piss" screening, and did some online assessments for them yesterday. I was trying not to second-guess them too much, but I couldn't shake the feeling that everything I answered was screaming RESEARCHER RESEARCHER I AM A RESEARCHER WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO COME AND RESEARCH FOR YOU. Anyway, apparently now I just wait, and if a job comes up that they think I'd be suited for based on those tests, then they'll email and ask if I'd like to be considered for interview. Not sure if anything will come of it, but I figured it was worth a shot.
I woke up this morning to an inch or so of snow. I have to say, it's somewhat less magical in the middle of a city.
So, a reaction post instead.
Things I loved:
- the opening sequence - perfectly balanced, and genuinely moving. Great decision to show Hermione modifying her parents' memories, and while I've not much love for Emma Watson, I thought she did an exceptional job in that scene. You could FEEL all the horrible memories that No. 4 Privet Drive held for Harry as he wandered through it, and my heart just BROKE when he took a last look at his cupboard. Lovely lightness of touch showing Ginny and Molly in the warmth of the Burrow behind Ron, thoughtful and a little melancholy outside.
- I very much approve of scruffy, beaten-down and dispirited Lucius Malfoy ¬_¬
- despite Tonks the Horrendously Awkward Exposition Fairy, the seven Harrys sequence was probably the most genuinely funny and entertaining bit in any of the films so far. Special love for Fleur!Harry in her bra.
- I don't particularly like the twins in the book, but I was genuinely touched by film!Fred's reaction to George getting his ear cut off - huge depth of feeling all through that scene.
- Bill Nighy's Scrimgeour. Yes, film!Scrimgeour doesn't have half the book's characterisation, but stiffness, tiredness, and faint patheticness (in both senses of the word) was all his more limited role needed, and was beautifully portrayed.
- Every time Ron looked at Hermione ;_; <3 And in fact, Rupert Grint's performance throughout the camping section, and in the eventual fight with Harry - totally believable and really IC.
- I may love Ron/Hermione, but I also LOVED the scene where Harry and Hermione danced. I don't think it was platonic, either; I think there was definite UST there - and you know what, I loved that, because it's realistic. I do think Ron and Hermione are well suited, and I certainly don't think you can argue with the fact that it was on the cards from pretty fucking early on, but I also think that in the kind of situation Harry and Hermione find themselves in DH, lonely and intense and dangerous, it's entirely reasonable that they would look at each other and at least wonder.
- Ministry mission was very deftly and economically done, and kudos to the three adult actors for managing to give an impression of the three kids still there behind the polyjuice potion.
- Can't say I'd blame Dumbledore, if Grindelwald looked like he does in the films. Unf.
- Godric's Hollow sequence, WOW. Beautifully shot, and so well acted - I really didn't think DanRad and Emma Watson had that kind of subtlety in them, ngl. Bathilda coming out of the snake was nowhere near gross enough, though.
- Xenophilius = love, and when I say love I mean ;_;
- Hermione's explanation of why the Sword of Gryffindor can destroy horcruxes actually makes more sense than the book does. I think this might be the only time in all 7 films where this is true.
- I could HEAR the fanfiction being written when Bellatrix pinned Hermione to the floor in the Malfoy Manor sequence. Although how she managed to BITE "mudblood" onto Hermione's arm, I have no idea.
Things I missed:
- NO ALBINO PEACOCKS. I am disappoint >:( As someone who consumed truly embarrassing amounts of pretentious, florid, entirely un-canonical aristo-slytherfic back in the day, those peacocks at the beginning of DH were a source of much much joy and lulz.
- Dudley's goodbye. One of my favourite bits of the whole book :/
- Krum at the wedding. I love Krum, and I love that whole conversation he has with Harry about his wand. Mind you, I really, REALLY hated what the films did with Krum in GoF (he is NOT just brawny; he's supposed to be smart and brave and talented and that's why Hermione likes him and keeps writing to him >:/ ), so maybe it's a good thing they left him out.
- Kreacher's Tale. I know the films have decided to leave out pretty much all the house elf subplot, but Kreacher is just SO important; I don't see why you'd pare his story down as much as they have.
- "she's like a sister" - not just for shippy reasons, but because it's such a lovely moment of friendship and forgiveness and reassurance between Harry and Ron.
Things I didn't like:
- Ron's viciousness in the cafe. I know he suggests killing the Death Eaters in the book, but the book also says that he sounded "profoundly relieved" when Harry says no. Did not think his willingness to kill them in the film was IC at all.
- Hermione's "let's stay here and grow old" line. Just, WTF? Again, not IC at all. When does Hermione ever show any sign of that kind of thinking? If anything, she's even more tireless about trying to do good and change the world than Harry.
- The fact that Ron's walking out and return didn't ever really seem to get properly dealt with - there was no real emotional resolution or readjustment around it; it felt pretty incidental.
- Bill Weasley is not hot enough.
- Dobby's death was overblown to the point of ridiculousness - and this is coming from someone who did actually tear up a bit at "here lies Dobby, a free elf" in the books. Also, Harry, WTF, a sand dune does not a good grave make.
Work continues, slowly but surely. I am also making an effort to start Applying for Things, i.e. jobs, so that I don't fall off the end of this PhD into unemployment. I've been trying to think of things I might want to and be able to do that aren't higher education teaching, given that I suspect Bad Things are going to happen to the HE job market under this government. The BBC is currently top of my list; they're doing a big recruitment drive for the new MediaCityUK at Salford. I emailed them a CV last week, asking to be considered for jobs in the Content Making sector; I got through the initial "let's make sure you're not taking the piss" screening, and did some online assessments for them yesterday. I was trying not to second-guess them too much, but I couldn't shake the feeling that everything I answered was screaming RESEARCHER RESEARCHER I AM A RESEARCHER WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO COME AND RESEARCH FOR YOU. Anyway, apparently now I just wait, and if a job comes up that they think I'd be suited for based on those tests, then they'll email and ask if I'd like to be considered for interview. Not sure if anything will come of it, but I figured it was worth a shot.
I woke up this morning to an inch or so of snow. I have to say, it's somewhat less magical in the middle of a city.