Alfonso Cuarón Re: Director for third movie

[vincentjh]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at y..., "hres2001" <hal.9000 at a...> wrote:
> Alfonso Cuarón is a Mexican director.  He directed "Y tu mam?
> también" out this year, a sex comedy, and the "Great
Expectations" 
> from a few years back with Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert 
De 
> De Niro.  Well made films all.  But the most probable reason that 
he 
> was hired was probably because of "A Little Princess" from 1995.  
> This film is lush, magical family movie.  It is funny, heart-
> breaking, heart-warming and no corn in sight.  The man has great 
> visual style and can do wonders with child actors.  I think he 
should 
> have been hired from the start. :)
> 
> TTFN, HAL.
> 
Just spent 3 days reading the 2000+ messages after joining the group 
and hopefully I am not too late to join the discussion on PoA's 
director.

I was pleased to know that they're giving the film to someone who's 
not a "blockbuster" type of director. Frankly, I still don't know 
what to make of Chris Columbus and still don't know if I liked the 
job he did for the first movie. It's a good thing he didn't make it 
just another cheasy kiddie film. But the film seems to lose some of 
the wonders and emotions of the book. It doesn't seem to have 
captured the kind of uncertainty about growing up and entering a new 
world that's common in kids of HP's age and is an important element 
that makes kids (and adults) identify with Harry and co. It doesn't 
seem to have the intensity of the book. There's something lacking. 
But what it is, I don't know. Maybe the film is just a little bit 
too...warm and too "Hollywood" for me.

Cuaron has experiences working with kids. I've seen his "A Little 
Princess" and "Great Expectations," both adaptations from classic 
literature but the target audiences are different. Although "Great 
Expectations" is a strange film IMO, I was rather struck by the look 
of it and by the way the movie is able to utilize different aspects 
of the media, to let the picture or music tell the story. I liked the 
way it "flows." And I was surprised to know that this edgy piece was 
directed by the same guy who did "A Little Princess," a film for both 
children and adults. That shows his range. 

"A Little Princess" is, IMO, one of the better children's films in 
years. It is beautiful and imaginative without the aid of grandiose 
sets or special effects. It has the emitional depth to satisfy even 
the adult viewers and blends the dark/sad side of the story and the 
lighter side of it together with ease and grace. In fact, it is a 
very moving film that both inspires children's imagination and 
touches adults' hearts. I might not like "Great Expectations," but 
I'd say that both GE and "A Little Princess" are good-looking films 
with uninhibited visions and sparkling, magic moments. 

If he brings that same kind of quality into PoA, he might be just the 
right person to really do the magic needed for/in HP movies. It'd 
also be interesting to see how a Mexican director captures the 
British feel of the book.

VJH.