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alexandral
I have just came back from watching "Harry Potter" with my daughter. She insisted on watching it in 3D , so I had to pay 20 pounds for the tickets. ** sigh ** What would you not do for your kids. You see, I am not a huge fan of the franchise. As far as the cultural impact goes, I applaud "Harry Potter", but if anyone tried to prove any literature value of the books, I would discuss the following to my death: from the top of my mind, I can name at least 5 young adult book series that are more original and better written. A school of wizardry? I have been reading books about schools of wizardry since I was 10 and this was a long time ago. And the main character, Harry Potter, a special boy with a special destiny, cannot be killed? What can I do but to roll my eyes?
Ok, I am still grumpy after having to pay 20 pounds (I am such a pirate at heart).
As far as the film goes, this was one of the best in the series. My favourite is still Prisoner of Azkaban (filmed beautifully by Alfonso Cuarón) which I think is the only film in the series that has other value than to be a part of the series, but I liked both parts of "Deathly Hallows", mostly because both of these films didn't feel as rushed as Order of the Phoenix or Half-Blood Prince. There was more time to stop and show the character interactions, and there was more time to show spectacular special effects. The special effects were spectacular, by the way, they had made me giddy with the sensory delight.
I remembered again how much I do not care for Harry and how much I love Ron, who made me laugh during all the inappropriate moments again, with his well-placed "Blimey" and "This is unfortunate". But overall, I think my actor love goes to Ralph Fiennes for his portrayal of Voldermot (gosh, so scary, I had goosebumps!).
Also, the favourite quote from the film. Dumbledore:
Of course it's all in your head, Harry, but why should that mean it isn't real?
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Date: 2011-07-16 09:26 pm (UTC)yes the school of magic and magicians have always existed in the literature. But I must say that it's the first time that the school is not just a school but is a...home.
and Harry..well is a normal guy, not particularly intelligent or strong, accompanied by friends who complete him. many times I was annoyed about his behavior, but it was nice to see how they are all grown and matured.
for me the plot and especially how all the elements of the earlier books are linked at the end is fantastic.
argh 20 pounds more! I never loved 3D U_U
without Ron everything would be boring!! XD
Ralph was great! but I have to hear the original voice, because I didn't like the Italian voice._. didn't make him scary at all...
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Date: 2011-07-16 09:34 pm (UTC)yes, ralph's voice - IT WAS GREAT
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Date: 2011-07-16 10:20 pm (UTC)I still go and watch those movies, first because it's Harry Potter and it's such a huge part of myself that I'm always compelled and hopeful that something good will be out of this, and second because I don't pay at the cinema (I have a card that I pay each month but that allows me to go and watch whatever I want, 2d or 3d).
I'll probably go tomorrow but I don't have lots of hope here. I read all the spoilers and Voldemort hugging anyone made me go green.
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Date: 2011-07-16 10:24 pm (UTC)I am not at all a huge fan of films neither, but the special effects are great. And Ralph Fiennes. :D
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Date: 2011-07-16 10:29 pm (UTC)I wonder what went wrong with Ralph Fiennes. The man is a brilliant actor but he's just one of the most pitiful Voldemort ever :/. Well at least to me ^^.
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Date: 2011-07-16 10:32 pm (UTC)How so? I personally thought the first too films were in the worst possble Disney tradition "Home Alone" cross "Harry Potter", "Prizoner of Azkaban" was great, but after that it was all so-so. I just want to understand.
lol. I like Fiennes as Voldermort. It is Harry i am less fond of. he looks on a creepy side to me.
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Date: 2011-07-16 10:58 pm (UTC)More or so I can, when I'm in a very good mood, do understand that POA is the easiest movie to like when you're not a compelling readers of the books but that's where I just basically rage.
POA was just a filmmaker more concerned with looking cool than staying faithful to the books. That's how I took the all thing. It has the name Harry Potter on it but that's pretty much it. I don't even find the movie that beautiful or anything. Just grey. It never touched me. At all. I felt disconnected. Worse, I felt it like a joke. Like Cuaron could tell everyone "hey look I did an HP movie lol". Cool bro.
Colombus movies were not particularly grandiose. They were just the paper translated on screen but for the first two ones, it was actually enough. If he had continued the movies, I wouldn't have been happy about it but he making n°1 was great. At least for me.
And Voldemort was actually creepy in there at least.
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Date: 2011-07-16 11:18 pm (UTC)So I do not care for the accuaracy to the books wahsoever, as I do not care with True Blood. But I understand you - I do care for the accuracy with the books I do love (ASOIF), so this might be hard for you.
And yes, i do agree that in "Prizoner of Azkaban" the director was more concerned with making a good film, something that is a work of art on it's own right rather than to be faithful to the books. But I hear you here, btw. it is just I see it differently.
The other aspect is the accesibility. I read the books just after I have watched the forth film (I think :D), because I stopped understanding "What a heck is going on". And I don't think a person not familiar with the books can understand ANYTHING after Prizoner of Azkaban (my daughter always asks me what is going on, movie after move :D). Which to me is a BIG MINUS (to you, minght be a plus). Why the films have to be just an illustration to the books? Surely they have to be understandable? Surely you don't HAVE TO read the books?
But yes, from someone like you who thinks books are great this all must look totally diferent.
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Date: 2011-07-16 11:26 pm (UTC)It really does look different. Nothing will ever make me love this movie or the all HP movies franchise. I enjoy certain things and I grew quite attached in a way with the cast because I'm just sentimental like that. But it's only something that has the name but is only related to the books from far away.
I'm not sure that I make complete sense. I would be a lot more convincing if I was using french I have to admit. In discussions, I always find the language barrier to be painful to me ^^.
All in all, I'm glad I'm not finding those errors in Games of Thrones adaptation. Even with the changes, I still recognize completely the characters and the storyline. And that's the most important imo.
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Date: 2011-07-16 11:36 pm (UTC)Don't think this is possible, bb. Think of this logically - everything was understandable in the film 3, but after that it started to deteriorate. And not immediately, actually, I was wrong. "Goblet of Fire" was also a good and easy to understand film (this was the one where Cedric died). I was wrong in the previous comment - I read the books after Goblet of Fire. This was the time when the last book was released , so I read the complete series as I could not understand "Order of phoenix".
If you want to blame anyone for the difficulty to understand the latest movies, blame Yates, who directed "Order of Phoenix", the worst and the most difficult to understand harry potter movie.
I always forget you are French, BTW, your language is flawless.
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Date: 2011-07-16 11:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-16 11:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-16 11:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 10:38 am (UTC)Yes, so far it has been so refreshingly sane.
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Date: 2011-07-16 11:16 pm (UTC)And the friendship of the trio is one of the greatest things too, they just have such a human relationship, it feels real. Everything isn't always shiny and perfect and thays what makes their friendship that much better.
Obviously you can have your own opinion lol, but I think Harry Potter is fantastic :p
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Date: 2011-07-16 11:23 pm (UTC)I wish Harry died, though, it would have made the story more "real" to me.
I know plenty of people LOVE HP, but I am yet to understand why. Take me right, I like it , but it is a little bit like fast-food for me (I like fast food, but don't see the nutritional value :D).
Sorry.
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Date: 2011-07-17 12:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 10:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-16 11:23 pm (UTC)I haven't seen the film yet due to work but I'm hoping to find a theatre that will do a back-to-back showing of part 1 and part 2 so I can see them all in one go. I cannot wait.
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Date: 2011-07-16 11:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 12:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 12:56 am (UTC)As for the rest of your post, I totally agree with you about everything. (Including preferring Ron over Harry, but you knew that already, and the reluctance to cash out so much money for fucking 3D, especially since the film didn't really require it.)
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Date: 2011-07-17 10:40 am (UTC)3D didn't seem to be very 3D-ish. And it always gives me a headache.
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Date: 2011-07-17 03:15 am (UTC)I will join you on the Ron!appreciation, though he didn't get as much to do in this one.
The special effects were amazing-- especially the white dragon, I know it's because of a huge budget, but goodness, that's what I want Dany's dragons to turn into <3
That Dumbledore quote was stunning; I considered that line some more once I got home and actually shed a tear for all that it implies, it is both beautiful and haunting.
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Date: 2011-07-17 10:50 am (UTC)I love all the little lovey-dovey scenes between Ron and Hermione.
The special effects were amazing-- especially the white dragon, I know it's because of a huge budget, but goodness, that's what I want Dany's dragons to turn into <3
Oh, yes. I though absolutely the same!!! Hee, great minds think alike.
And I loved the scene with Dumbledore. I am still harping about the fact that his death was shown so briefly.
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Date: 2011-07-17 06:11 pm (UTC)Ron was great! Alan Rickman was my favourite though.
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Date: 2011-07-17 06:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 06:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 06:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 06:45 pm (UTC)And the fifth would be Hunger Games, but I think you have read these already.
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Date: 2011-07-17 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 07:09 pm (UTC)I would rec both Abhorsen Trilogy and Earthsea with all my heart. And as you do like m/m fiction - have you read "Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula le Guin? It is not young fiction but one of those books everyone MUST READ AT LEAST ONCE.
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Date: 2011-07-17 08:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 09:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 09:37 pm (UTC)I want to you read "Left Hand of Darkness" so badly now - I want to know what you'd think. Here is an unspoilery squeeful review : http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2669531 , but in my not very eloquent words, this is the most interesting exproration of gender ever. And it has my favourite OTP of all times (for which I am not going to spoil you). It is quite mind-bending in the first half and absolutely heart-breaking (in a good way) in the second.
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Date: 2011-07-17 10:14 pm (UTC)Added it to my wishlist at bookdepository. When I place the next order, I'll get it,
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Date: 2011-07-17 10:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-17 10:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-18 10:42 am (UTC)Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
or
The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
or
Revolutions always come around again. That's why they're called revolutions.