Half Blood Prince, the movie!

[Menolly]

Can't wait to hear what you think of it, dlb!

[Rigel]

Has the girl who plays Hermione finally learned to speak without taking a breath between each word?

[dlbpharmd]

Well, our night turned out to be so completely shitty that I can't collect my thoughts well enough to write about the film. We came out of the theater to find my truck had been broken into while we were inside. The bastard only took my Ipod (no big deal) but they also took my ID badge at the hospital and the keys to the pharmacy that I had attached to the same lanyard (sp?) and left in the console of my truck. I also had some check deposit slips, I can't be sure if they took any of those and I had some old paycheck stubs in the console so now I have to be on guard for identity theft. So my day will be all about changing locks and calling banks and placing theft alerts and replacing glass.

[aliantha]

Man, that sucks, dlb -- I'm sorry.

[Menolly]

Oh man.
I saw on FB that your truck was broken in to, but didn't realize it was while you were at the movie. What an absolutely horrible event to associate with the film...

[wayfriend]

Wow. That is truly horrible, Don.

- - - - - - - - -

I saw it last night. It was entertaining and it was fun, but there was a glaring issue. If I wanted to be critical, I could point out lots of problems. But even being uncritical ... there was one signficant issue which could be classified as a let down.

[Menolly]

You wanna spoiler it, wf?
Or would you rather wait a couple of weeks or so before discussing it?

[wayfriend]

I'll wait.

[Avatar]

I'll wait for it to come out on DVD. I know what happens. (In fact, I just reread the book the other day. Thanks Menolly. )

--A

[Menolly]

(In fact, I just reread the book the other day. Thanks Menolly. )

Welcome, Av.
...although it's Beorn, and through extension, Jenn you should thank.

The others are still waiting for me to find a somewhat decent copy of CoS before I pack them all up to ship your way. Sorry for the delay.

[Avatar]

Well, thanks to them too. And no worries, there's really no rush (or even real need) on the others. But I appreciate the thought.

--A

[Infelice]

Ive just seen it and overall I was very happy with it. Only one criticism for me.... there should have been a bit more drama surrounding the events near the end of the movie.

When I read the book it seemed a whole lot more dramatic with lots more action ... this didnt seem to translate to the movie.

Just my opinion tho.

[Zahir]

Saw it. My thoughts...

We all know this is gonna be full of SPOILERS right?

I liked it for covering the bare bones of the plot with some nice character work here and there. Some really fine acting, often from people we frankly have every reason to expect such from--Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, etc. Our three leads do a good job with what they've been given, but in this one I do believe Grint and Watson upstaged Radcliffe (which is unusual--he's usually the best of the three). Really good stuff with a lot of the supporting cast as well, from Draco's mom to Tonks and most especially Lavender Brown (who stole nearly every scene she was ever in).

Both young Voldemorts were praise-worthy as well.

Gorgeous cinematography, really. Absolutely stunning. In particular the castle itself was used with great impact, the best IMHO since POA.

But...

The sense of this world was missing. Actually, that has been a chronic lack in the movies since number three and we are not the better for it. How I miss the talking paintings! And the ghosts! (Especially since both are pretty damn important in the next book!) For that matter, other than potions, we didn't see any classes taking place so we don't see characters learning anything while at school. Just thematically, this seems wrong.

I am a great believer in streamlining and adapting from one medium to the next--in fact I've had many a passionate debate about same, especially vis-a-vis LOTR. But certain things have gotten lost that frankly I miss and more importantly methinks hurt the story. The real insights into Tom Riddle, the boy who became Voldemort, that I miss most of all and is in many ways the whole point of the story. Not-really-different from that is the whole business of the title--why is it important that Snape is the Half Blood Prince and what does that mean anyway? I know, because I've read the book but how would anyone who hadn't? Besides, those two go hand-in-hand. Part of what is so important in the overall tale is understanding just how alike Harry, Snape and Voldemort really are. And how different.

I can understand (perhaps) but deeply regret the shortening of the interplay as Harry forces Dumbledore to drink the potion. Apart from setting things up for DH, this increases the power to the whole thing.

That said, I adored many of the brand spanking new "bits" unique to the film. Draco's experiments with the cabinet. Tonks and Remus as a couple already. Bellatrix and Fenrir's attack on the Weasley home. Hermione recognizing Harry's feelings for Ginny. The many wands of Hogwarts banishing the Death Mark. Harry overhearing the little snippet of argument between Snape and Dumbledore, then Snape's finger to his lips just before the climax. Knowing the books as I do, Dumbledore's line about "A boy who made all the wrong choices..." cracked my heart just a tiny bit.

And yeah--the closing credits began with a weirdly cheerful music set.

All in all, very mixed bag.

[wayfriend]

Well, if we're going to start spoilers ... and even if you know the books, these are spoilers about how the movie delivers ...

Spoiler

The fact that they practically dropped the Half Blood Prince plotline was glaring. The movie should have been called Harry Potter Mentions the Half Blood Prince Once In Passing.

The other major issue I had (of which I spoke above) is that it had the most lackluster ending of all the HP movies to date. Every one so far had ended in a major action/adventure/combat special-effects-laden set piece final act. Except this one. The ending just dribbles off the edge of the movie. Given what happens at the end of this movie, that was disappointing.

[Menolly]

Maybe full of spoilers, but since I haven't seen it yet, it only entices me more to see how what you said is implemented, Zahir. And that's the point of a good review, right?

Glad to see you here, btw!

Spoiler

Ooo, wf.
That does not bode well for the tower scene I guess.
Unless that comes earlier than the ending.
But then, the book ends after that scene as well, with the funeral...
...I do so hope they had the phoenix (whether Fawkes or another) flying away in that scene.

[Zahir]

Thanks Menolly. My computer died and had to get a new one and am still rebuilding my bookmarks.

Spoiler

What you mention at the end -- it happens.

I should honestly note that I was in a terrible mood upon seeing this film. I was supposed to meet some folks from work to see the movie together. Not. One. Showed. Up. Apart from the fact that I don't like seeing movies alone, this was my darling Colleen's favorite film series and I didn't want to see this one alone especially. And to be perfectly maudlin, it seems to me there are only two people in my life who show up anywhere if I don't offer to pay. Frankly, it hurts. There's always a reason, of course. Always. For forty years people always have reasons why no one comes to a party I try to have, or meet me at a place where we've agreed, or join me to see a movie, etc.

This has done nothing whatsoever good for my mood, can you tell?

[Menolly]

I should honestly note that I was in a terrible mood upon seeing this film. I was supposed to meet some folks from work to see the movie together. Not. One. Showed. Up. Apart from the fact that I don't like seeing movies alone, this was my darling Colleen's favorite film series and I didn't want to see this one alone especially. And to be perfectly maudlin, it seems to me there are only two people in my life who show up anywhere if I don't offer to pay. Frankly, it hurts. There's always a reason, of course. Always. For forty years people always have reasons why no one comes to a party I try to have, or meet me at a place where we've agreed, or join me to see a movie, etc.

This has done nothing whatsoever good for my mood, can you tell?

What with raising an aspie, who has never had a friend, I understand.
I do wish our dysfunctional family here on the Watch was physically closer to one another. But hopefully, perhaps you will make it to at least one future elohimfest; mayhaps the next one with SRD whenever that will be.

If so, and if things go right here so I can make it as well, I'll look forward to meeting you!

[Rigel]

I saw this last night, and I'm surprised people liked it so much.

Spoiler

All in all it wasn't bad, and it had some really good moments, but seriously... two and a half hours and people brooding, with no resolution. Alan Rickman gets maybe two lines in the whole movie, and the climax was terribly anticlimactic.

While Slughorn was done well, the boy Voldemort wasn't. Sure, the actors portrayed an evil kid well, but you obviously saw that the kid was evil. In the book, I certainly got the sense that he'd been a bully, but not that he was truly evil.

And Draco definitely stole the show.

For how long the movie was, I'm surprised that they were able to put so little plot or exposition in it. But, when every other line has to be delivered with an anguished pause, I guess that's what happens.

I wish they could get Alfonso Cuaron back, but it seems we're stuck with David Yates Oh well, at least he's better than Mike Newell or Chris Columbus.

[aliantha]

Magickmaker and I went to see it this afternoon. We thought it was generally good. Clearly the director thought that focusing on the adolescent hormones would make a better movie than focusing on the Dark-Lord-and-magic stuff. And yeah, he was right that it made a better movie. But I tend to agree in general with the criticisms above.

Fun facts to know and tell: the actor who plays the young Tom Riddle is Ralph Fiennes' nephew; the one who plays the older Tom Riddle in this movie is not related (tho I think he looks very much like the nephew -- good bit of casting there). Interestingly, neither is the kid who played Tom Riddle in the second film. No idea why. Too old, maybe? Or they thought it would be more important that this Riddle had a passing resemblance to Fiennes (and it's been long enough since the second film that nobody would think about it)?

Spoiler

I too was disappointed that the big DADA battle got cut, as well as the funeral scene, tho Magickmaker pointed out that adding the funeral would have added another half-hour to the movie. Meh, I suppose. Dumbledore deserved a bigger fuss over his death, tho.

What worries me about "Deathly Hallows" parts 1 and 2:

Spoiler

Please please please tell me that the next movie won't be nothing but "Harry, Ron and Hermione Lost in the Wilderness" -- that would be sooo boring....

[Rigel]

Something else I just thought of:

Spoiler

With the cuts to exposition, Harry is in a much worse position at the end of Movie 6 than the end of Book 6. Basically, he still doesn't really know anything about the Horcruxes.

Though they DID hint at Harry himself being a Horcrux.