My usual HP ramblings...
So it seems I either only post when something bad happens or to relay my thoughts on Harry Potter. I swear I would post more if I had something to talk about. Right now I'm waiting for data from Germany so I can actually start my thesis and waiting for my adviser to edit a journal manuscript I sent her. Receiving edits from her is always damaging to my ego. Here I think I've done a decent job, and I get the draft back covered in markouts and rewritten sentences. Ah, grad school.
Anyway, I went to a midnight release of HP and I'm pretty sure this group of grad students were the oldest ones there excluding the occasional creepy adult that shows up alone in an elaborate costume. This experience made me realize that high school students are extremely annoying and I'm so glad to be done with that aspect of my life. I rewatched it last night when I was actually fully awake and there were less people to annoy me.
First, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am generally ok with any additions/stuff left out. Given what the 6th book was, they did a good job making and entertaining movie. So much of HBP was exposition and explaining Voldemort combined with teen-angst. So I didn't really have a problem with the Burrow being attacked. There needed to be a dramatic sequence right about then to remind everyone what was going on outside Hogwarts, at it was a very effective way to show how Voldemort's reign affects those who stand against him. And seriously, it's not that big a deal where they have Bill & Fleur's wedding considering that's going to come out of the blue for people who don't read the book (and, no I don't have a problem with that, there are way too many characters to introduce everyone). I did miss the battle at the end, but again I can semi-understand why it was left out, it will make the final battle that much more dramatic. I think the only thing left out, that should have been included was Harry finding out that Snape was the one who heard the prophecy. It's entirely likely I'm biased, but I feel like it's an important fact considering it had a lot to do with why Snape left the Death Eaters. And also, on a Snape-y note, Alan Rickman was wonderful, but I did wish he got to totally lose it at the end and have the whole "don't call me coward!" bit. Oh, and I didn't really like how Dumbledore said "Severus, please". It sort of made it obvious that this was all planned ahead, but overall Snape was awesome in this movie. Especially at Slughorn's party.
As for the rest of the acting, the adults are always amazing. I really enjoyed Dumbledore in this one, there was more of the eccentric, funny side to him. And the scene in the cave and his death scene were both really good. Although I was freaking out the first time cause I thought they weren't going to have Draco disarm him. I barely understand the whole Elder Wand thing as it is, don't make it worse. As, for the kids, Daniel Radcliffe has gotten much better, but I honestly think he's better at the funnier/sarcastic bits than the dramatic. The Felix Felicus scene was hilarious, but everytime he tries to cry it does nothing for me. And I seriously do not like Emma Watson 90% of the time. She tends to way over act. And what in the world did Ron/Rupert Grint ever do to the screenwriter? He seriously gets no respect. Why did he spend the entire last scene sitting on the steps while Harry and Hermione were talking? No wonder there are crazy people that ship Harry and Hermione. This dude seems to forget that Ron is Harry's best friend and even though he's a bit of an idiot sometimes. Again I'm probably biased since Ron is my favorite of the trio and Rupert is, in my opinion, the best actor of the three, but still. For the first half of the last scene I was trying to figure out where Ron was and then he's just sitting there. He could have at least had a few lines. I'm sort of dreading how Ron is going to come off in the last one.
But anyway, overall I really liked the movie and can't wait till Deathly Hallows. And please ignore the grammatical errors. I'm sure there are at least 5 run-on sentences, but I have no motivation to reread and edit.
Anyway, I went to a midnight release of HP and I'm pretty sure this group of grad students were the oldest ones there excluding the occasional creepy adult that shows up alone in an elaborate costume. This experience made me realize that high school students are extremely annoying and I'm so glad to be done with that aspect of my life. I rewatched it last night when I was actually fully awake and there were less people to annoy me.
First, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am generally ok with any additions/stuff left out. Given what the 6th book was, they did a good job making and entertaining movie. So much of HBP was exposition and explaining Voldemort combined with teen-angst. So I didn't really have a problem with the Burrow being attacked. There needed to be a dramatic sequence right about then to remind everyone what was going on outside Hogwarts, at it was a very effective way to show how Voldemort's reign affects those who stand against him. And seriously, it's not that big a deal where they have Bill & Fleur's wedding considering that's going to come out of the blue for people who don't read the book (and, no I don't have a problem with that, there are way too many characters to introduce everyone). I did miss the battle at the end, but again I can semi-understand why it was left out, it will make the final battle that much more dramatic. I think the only thing left out, that should have been included was Harry finding out that Snape was the one who heard the prophecy. It's entirely likely I'm biased, but I feel like it's an important fact considering it had a lot to do with why Snape left the Death Eaters. And also, on a Snape-y note, Alan Rickman was wonderful, but I did wish he got to totally lose it at the end and have the whole "don't call me coward!" bit. Oh, and I didn't really like how Dumbledore said "Severus, please". It sort of made it obvious that this was all planned ahead, but overall Snape was awesome in this movie. Especially at Slughorn's party.
As for the rest of the acting, the adults are always amazing. I really enjoyed Dumbledore in this one, there was more of the eccentric, funny side to him. And the scene in the cave and his death scene were both really good. Although I was freaking out the first time cause I thought they weren't going to have Draco disarm him. I barely understand the whole Elder Wand thing as it is, don't make it worse. As, for the kids, Daniel Radcliffe has gotten much better, but I honestly think he's better at the funnier/sarcastic bits than the dramatic. The Felix Felicus scene was hilarious, but everytime he tries to cry it does nothing for me. And I seriously do not like Emma Watson 90% of the time. She tends to way over act. And what in the world did Ron/Rupert Grint ever do to the screenwriter? He seriously gets no respect. Why did he spend the entire last scene sitting on the steps while Harry and Hermione were talking? No wonder there are crazy people that ship Harry and Hermione. This dude seems to forget that Ron is Harry's best friend and even though he's a bit of an idiot sometimes. Again I'm probably biased since Ron is my favorite of the trio and Rupert is, in my opinion, the best actor of the three, but still. For the first half of the last scene I was trying to figure out where Ron was and then he's just sitting there. He could have at least had a few lines. I'm sort of dreading how Ron is going to come off in the last one.
But anyway, overall I really liked the movie and can't wait till Deathly Hallows. And please ignore the grammatical errors. I'm sure there are at least 5 run-on sentences, but I have no motivation to reread and edit.