EXPECTO PATRONUM!!
NERD ALERT! NERD ALERT!
I must say, don't read on if you have yet to see the movie. I find that reading other peoples opinions on movies gives you a mind set going in, skewing your own take on the movie. Sorry, had to give you that disclaimer before you read on.
So last night, after months of what seemed like years of waiting, the third installment of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series was brought to life on the big screen. Having finally decided to read the books after seeing the first 2 movies and jumping on the potter bandwagon, I was more excited about this movie than probably any other movie I've seen for a very long time. We're talking childhood here. And the third book, next to the 4th, is one of the best of the series. So having said that, on with the review.
Let me start off by saying that I was a tad disappointed leaving the theater. I wish someone would have conjured a patronus to ward off the dementors that sucked the life right out of these movies. It was just riddikulus! (Sorry, I just needed to throw in that dork line). It definitely had it's moments. Although it was a slightly darker film, mostly because on the actual story line, it was probably funnier than the previous 2 combined, mostly due to Ron and Hermione's constant bickering. Also, I must admit I was aesthetically pleased with the film. Alfsonso Cuaron, who succeeded Chris Columbus as director, has a great eye. Some of the shots were the most beautifully crafted shots I've seen in a movie. There were a lot of interesting segues between time, using somewhat morphing scenery. He almost made you feel as if you were swooping in on the lives of the characters, observing the from a vantage point of a curious onlooker. So in that respect, I think this director brought to the table a fresh, and different approach to the world of harry potter, one we didnt quite experience with the first two. Now of course, this was all enhanced by sitting in the 4th row of a great theater, feeling surrounded by the screen with impeccable audio quality. What a great way to watch a movie... I cant wait until tuesday in IMAX :-)
So the movie on a whole was good, to the unbiased watcher looking for some entertainment value. But being an avid reader, I've got some complaints. I'm not sure who to blame this on... whether cuaron hacked the script to keep with his vision, or the writer chose to take a whole different approach to this film entirely. Or maybe it was a little bit of both. Needless to say, I hope when released on DVD, there's a couple of bonus discs with all the deleted scenes that should have been in this movie. I undertstand we're on a time budget here people, but if you're gonna spend millions of dollars on a movie, why not get it right. I know a lot of the die hard potter fans would gladly sit through a four hour movie to see their story unfold properly on the big screen. It's not my fault the attention span of the average person is exponentially shrinking. Try reading a book people, it broadens the imagination. Not to mention my ass is numb from the seat after about an hour and a half anyway, so tacking on an extra hour or so wont hurt. I mean I sat through lord of the rings...
Unfortunately, trying to adhere to the time limit and the story just made the movie seemed rushed. It touched on every part of the story briefly to the point where it was so jumpy at times, it completely lost it's flow. Harry Potter abridged. I would have liked a little more of the explanation that's provided in the book, not to mention some of the key influences in the story line, even for future books, were just left out. For example, the ending where they are on the train and sirius sends the note to Harry with a permission slip for Hogsmeade... it just ties everything together into a happy ending. Not to mention that the owl is given to Ron to make up for losing scabbers and is used as a form of communication with Sirius in the next book. Also, why were all the characters animagi? They never explained that is was for lupin's sake. And we didnt even know that James potter was one as well, turning into a stag, the reason for Harry's patronus taking the shape of the stag. They left out a lot of crookshanks/scabbers interaction as well... the whole reason for ron and hermione's love-hate relationship. The firebolt came way to late in the story... not allowing them to check it out for everything because they worry that it could be from the murderer Sirius, not the good Sirius. And who are moony, wormtail, padfoot and prongs? I think it's safe to say that cuaron and kloves definitely took some liberties with the story line this time, bending if not completely altering some of the story line to make everything work.
I must admit, it was definitely cool seeing some of the new characters and creatures brought to life. The dementors, although not how I imagined, were definitely the freakiest of all, and well portrayed on screen. I actually got chills while looking at them. Also, the new professors were quite entertaining. And of course, buckbeak was definitely cool to see.The time turner scene was definitely bitchin ( I believe those were my exact words in the theater). Michael Gambon did a wonderful job stepping in for the late richard harris, perhaps embodying the true spirit of Albus Dumbledore. And the patronus interesting, although I pictured it slightly different for the full form one, it got the job done just the same. Plus, the more contemporary spin on wardrobe was an interesting take on things - I believe this is due to cuaron. It is 2004, why not look like it.
Don't let my bitching fool you... It was a great movie, but like I said, I'm a bit disappointed and left wanting. Perhaps I psyched myself up to much for this one. Of course, all of this wont stop me from seeing it again. Maybe I'll put the books on hold until after I see the movie from now on. This can go for any movie to come. This, of course, being my first experience of actually reading for enjoyment. Or is it reading at all? Well, at least I started out with something a little above my reading level to challenge myself ;-) But let's just hope, for the sake of potter fans out there, that they dont do the hack job on the 4th movie that they did on this one.
That's about all I can think of for now, but I guarantee you, once I see it again on tuesday, I'll have plenty other things to say as their fresh in my mind. Let's just say, after last night, my vision is a little clouded, and not from the movie 0:-)
Bloody hell!
I must say, don't read on if you have yet to see the movie. I find that reading other peoples opinions on movies gives you a mind set going in, skewing your own take on the movie. Sorry, had to give you that disclaimer before you read on.
So last night, after months of what seemed like years of waiting, the third installment of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series was brought to life on the big screen. Having finally decided to read the books after seeing the first 2 movies and jumping on the potter bandwagon, I was more excited about this movie than probably any other movie I've seen for a very long time. We're talking childhood here. And the third book, next to the 4th, is one of the best of the series. So having said that, on with the review.
Let me start off by saying that I was a tad disappointed leaving the theater. I wish someone would have conjured a patronus to ward off the dementors that sucked the life right out of these movies. It was just riddikulus! (Sorry, I just needed to throw in that dork line). It definitely had it's moments. Although it was a slightly darker film, mostly because on the actual story line, it was probably funnier than the previous 2 combined, mostly due to Ron and Hermione's constant bickering. Also, I must admit I was aesthetically pleased with the film. Alfsonso Cuaron, who succeeded Chris Columbus as director, has a great eye. Some of the shots were the most beautifully crafted shots I've seen in a movie. There were a lot of interesting segues between time, using somewhat morphing scenery. He almost made you feel as if you were swooping in on the lives of the characters, observing the from a vantage point of a curious onlooker. So in that respect, I think this director brought to the table a fresh, and different approach to the world of harry potter, one we didnt quite experience with the first two. Now of course, this was all enhanced by sitting in the 4th row of a great theater, feeling surrounded by the screen with impeccable audio quality. What a great way to watch a movie... I cant wait until tuesday in IMAX :-)
So the movie on a whole was good, to the unbiased watcher looking for some entertainment value. But being an avid reader, I've got some complaints. I'm not sure who to blame this on... whether cuaron hacked the script to keep with his vision, or the writer chose to take a whole different approach to this film entirely. Or maybe it was a little bit of both. Needless to say, I hope when released on DVD, there's a couple of bonus discs with all the deleted scenes that should have been in this movie. I undertstand we're on a time budget here people, but if you're gonna spend millions of dollars on a movie, why not get it right. I know a lot of the die hard potter fans would gladly sit through a four hour movie to see their story unfold properly on the big screen. It's not my fault the attention span of the average person is exponentially shrinking. Try reading a book people, it broadens the imagination. Not to mention my ass is numb from the seat after about an hour and a half anyway, so tacking on an extra hour or so wont hurt. I mean I sat through lord of the rings...
Unfortunately, trying to adhere to the time limit and the story just made the movie seemed rushed. It touched on every part of the story briefly to the point where it was so jumpy at times, it completely lost it's flow. Harry Potter abridged. I would have liked a little more of the explanation that's provided in the book, not to mention some of the key influences in the story line, even for future books, were just left out. For example, the ending where they are on the train and sirius sends the note to Harry with a permission slip for Hogsmeade... it just ties everything together into a happy ending. Not to mention that the owl is given to Ron to make up for losing scabbers and is used as a form of communication with Sirius in the next book. Also, why were all the characters animagi? They never explained that is was for lupin's sake. And we didnt even know that James potter was one as well, turning into a stag, the reason for Harry's patronus taking the shape of the stag. They left out a lot of crookshanks/scabbers interaction as well... the whole reason for ron and hermione's love-hate relationship. The firebolt came way to late in the story... not allowing them to check it out for everything because they worry that it could be from the murderer Sirius, not the good Sirius. And who are moony, wormtail, padfoot and prongs? I think it's safe to say that cuaron and kloves definitely took some liberties with the story line this time, bending if not completely altering some of the story line to make everything work.
I must admit, it was definitely cool seeing some of the new characters and creatures brought to life. The dementors, although not how I imagined, were definitely the freakiest of all, and well portrayed on screen. I actually got chills while looking at them. Also, the new professors were quite entertaining. And of course, buckbeak was definitely cool to see.The time turner scene was definitely bitchin ( I believe those were my exact words in the theater). Michael Gambon did a wonderful job stepping in for the late richard harris, perhaps embodying the true spirit of Albus Dumbledore. And the patronus interesting, although I pictured it slightly different for the full form one, it got the job done just the same. Plus, the more contemporary spin on wardrobe was an interesting take on things - I believe this is due to cuaron. It is 2004, why not look like it.
Don't let my bitching fool you... It was a great movie, but like I said, I'm a bit disappointed and left wanting. Perhaps I psyched myself up to much for this one. Of course, all of this wont stop me from seeing it again. Maybe I'll put the books on hold until after I see the movie from now on. This can go for any movie to come. This, of course, being my first experience of actually reading for enjoyment. Or is it reading at all? Well, at least I started out with something a little above my reading level to challenge myself ;-) But let's just hope, for the sake of potter fans out there, that they dont do the hack job on the 4th movie that they did on this one.
That's about all I can think of for now, but I guarantee you, once I see it again on tuesday, I'll have plenty other things to say as their fresh in my mind. Let's just say, after last night, my vision is a little clouded, and not from the movie 0:-)
Bloody hell!
posted by Christian at 11:48 AM
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