Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Movie: I'm Lovin' It!
Well I've now seen the latest HP movie twice (once the evening of the day it came out, a few Weds ago, and a second time last Friday night), and against all odds, despite loathing the book that it's based on, I really enjoyed the movie! I remember remarking after OOTP (the best movie to date then, and perhaps now, not quite sure how I rank HBP yet in comparison) that if anyone could make a decent movie out of the weakest, cheesiest, and dullest volume of the series it was Yates, and I proved myself right--he is absolutely brilliant, improving upon the book in almost every way and taking a book in which not a whole lot happens and making it actually interesting and entertaining!
More spoilery comments on the movie below....
Everything flowed very well, from the very artsy and cool opening sequence calling back to the press at the MoM in OOTP and transitioning seamlessly into the current doom--the DE London scenes were so cool!, there were lots of good, humorous moments (much more humorous than the supposed "humor" in the books, with the most humorous moment of all below), almost everyone gave a fantastic performance (special kudos to Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Jim Broadbent, and Dan Radcliffe in particular, I was so impressed with them in particular, espeically since Felton hasn't needed to do hard acting before--but Watson, Grint, and Gambon were wonderful and improved as well!), and the cinematography, the very convincing special effects, and the score were all beautiful.
The score in paritcular deserves a nod, I really loved Hooper's score in OOTP and he was even better in this film, really underscoring the drama and emotion in each scene rather than drowning it out. I've already bought it. Some of my favorite pieces were the opening music, "Harry and Hermione" (yes, I loved that they had a piece of music or theme named for them, and such a pretty one at that too! :)), "Journey to the Cave," and "When Ginny Kissed Harry"--yes, you heard that right! :p As much as I dislike H/G as it's written in the books, I thought it was actually decently done in this film, almost sweet and cute--and I think Hooper's beautiful score charming me during their kiss scene was part of it! ;) R/Hr wasn't as bad as in the books either, they were so much nicer to each other, and less cruel--one of many objections I have to the book that were cleared away by Yates and Kloves in this film. That being said, I thought that D/B had rather wooden chemistry (H/C's kiss was hotter for instance), and that Dan/Emma still have the most chemistry of anyone--even when they were discussing their loves for other people in the staircase scene, it seemed to me that their bodies were saying something else! :p So I was happy to see that they had a few beautiful scenes together--the staircase comforting scene (and I was prepared since I had read about it beforehand, but still!), the scenes in the snow, the ending when they are standing together looking at the Horcrux--despite the H/G and R/Hr-shippiness of the film and the clumsy attempt to point blank deny H/Hr one movie early (they better keep the locket!Horcrux scene intact anyway, that's all I'm saying...). I think they realize how beautiful D/E look together and so put in a few shots of just them together anyway...I can't wait to see them in DH!
So yeah, I enjoyed most of it, both times that I saw it, and would even like to see it again I think, even though I wondered beforehand if I could sit through it one time, given how much I dislike the source material--but I guess I should have known to trust Yates! :) I also saw many clips that would be perfect for vidding use, though not so much anymore given all my other HP clips are gone....*sigh*
My major complaints, besides the stupid DD scene concerning H/Hr: A) What on earth are they going to do with all the Burrow scenes in book 7 after the attack here?! I wasn't a big fan of this added scene when I first read the script bits for it, and I'm still not that great of a fan, even though it turned out better than I expected, for this continuity issue. Also when did the Weasleys move their house out into the middle of an isolated corn field anyway?
B) The bird deaths--NOT COOL! >:( I am a great bird lover, have two of them myself (two cockatiels, Punky and Petie, whom I think of as my 'babies'), and I did not like the gratuitous bird killing in the film one iota--forget DD's death, that bird dying in the cupboard was so much sadder for me! :( And while I'm glad Hermione didn't maul Ron in the movie with the birds as she does in the book, I still did not like how the birds hit the wall and disappear in a BAM of feathers--magical-looking powder or something would have been better , less horrible and death-like....
One of my favorite scenes of the movie series (and the funniest of the movie) was this one, in which Dan Radcliffe shows his comic genius--it's too funny! :p
Reason #9968487 I love Dan I suppose! :)
Also in other news I finally read and finished (in two days) Jacqueline Carey's (first) new release, Santa Olivia, the one in a new verse and genre. It was very good and a fast read, I was glad that Carey remains an author who never disappoints! :) Perhaps a more detailed review will follow if I feel up to it.....I still also have to read JC's other new release, Naamah's Kiss, the beginning of a new series set in the Kushiel verse many generations later. Right now I'm finishing up From Dead to Worse (#8 Sookie Stackhouse series), soon I'll be all caught up on that front!
More spoilery comments on the movie below....
Everything flowed very well, from the very artsy and cool opening sequence calling back to the press at the MoM in OOTP and transitioning seamlessly into the current doom--the DE London scenes were so cool!, there were lots of good, humorous moments (much more humorous than the supposed "humor" in the books, with the most humorous moment of all below), almost everyone gave a fantastic performance (special kudos to Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Jim Broadbent, and Dan Radcliffe in particular, I was so impressed with them in particular, espeically since Felton hasn't needed to do hard acting before--but Watson, Grint, and Gambon were wonderful and improved as well!), and the cinematography, the very convincing special effects, and the score were all beautiful.
The score in paritcular deserves a nod, I really loved Hooper's score in OOTP and he was even better in this film, really underscoring the drama and emotion in each scene rather than drowning it out. I've already bought it. Some of my favorite pieces were the opening music, "Harry and Hermione" (yes, I loved that they had a piece of music or theme named for them, and such a pretty one at that too! :)), "Journey to the Cave," and "When Ginny Kissed Harry"--yes, you heard that right! :p As much as I dislike H/G as it's written in the books, I thought it was actually decently done in this film, almost sweet and cute--and I think Hooper's beautiful score charming me during their kiss scene was part of it! ;) R/Hr wasn't as bad as in the books either, they were so much nicer to each other, and less cruel--one of many objections I have to the book that were cleared away by Yates and Kloves in this film. That being said, I thought that D/B had rather wooden chemistry (H/C's kiss was hotter for instance), and that Dan/Emma still have the most chemistry of anyone--even when they were discussing their loves for other people in the staircase scene, it seemed to me that their bodies were saying something else! :p So I was happy to see that they had a few beautiful scenes together--the staircase comforting scene (and I was prepared since I had read about it beforehand, but still!), the scenes in the snow, the ending when they are standing together looking at the Horcrux--despite the H/G and R/Hr-shippiness of the film and the clumsy attempt to point blank deny H/Hr one movie early (they better keep the locket!Horcrux scene intact anyway, that's all I'm saying...). I think they realize how beautiful D/E look together and so put in a few shots of just them together anyway...I can't wait to see them in DH!
So yeah, I enjoyed most of it, both times that I saw it, and would even like to see it again I think, even though I wondered beforehand if I could sit through it one time, given how much I dislike the source material--but I guess I should have known to trust Yates! :) I also saw many clips that would be perfect for vidding use, though not so much anymore given all my other HP clips are gone....*sigh*
My major complaints, besides the stupid DD scene concerning H/Hr: A) What on earth are they going to do with all the Burrow scenes in book 7 after the attack here?! I wasn't a big fan of this added scene when I first read the script bits for it, and I'm still not that great of a fan, even though it turned out better than I expected, for this continuity issue. Also when did the Weasleys move their house out into the middle of an isolated corn field anyway?
B) The bird deaths--NOT COOL! >:( I am a great bird lover, have two of them myself (two cockatiels, Punky and Petie, whom I think of as my 'babies'), and I did not like the gratuitous bird killing in the film one iota--forget DD's death, that bird dying in the cupboard was so much sadder for me! :( And while I'm glad Hermione didn't maul Ron in the movie with the birds as she does in the book, I still did not like how the birds hit the wall and disappear in a BAM of feathers--magical-looking powder or something would have been better , less horrible and death-like....
One of my favorite scenes of the movie series (and the funniest of the movie) was this one, in which Dan Radcliffe shows his comic genius--it's too funny! :p
Reason #9968487 I love Dan I suppose! :)
Also in other news I finally read and finished (in two days) Jacqueline Carey's (first) new release, Santa Olivia, the one in a new verse and genre. It was very good and a fast read, I was glad that Carey remains an author who never disappoints! :) Perhaps a more detailed review will follow if I feel up to it.....I still also have to read JC's other new release, Naamah's Kiss, the beginning of a new series set in the Kushiel verse many generations later. Right now I'm finishing up From Dead to Worse (#8 Sookie Stackhouse series), soon I'll be all caught up on that front!