[HPFGU-Movie] Re: Washington Post review (ouch!)/ Re: more questions (MAJOR spoilers!)

[Richelle Votaw]

GulPlum writes:

> Errr... I apologise in advance if this sounds rude (it's honestly not
> meant to) but he was reviewing a movie which you've not seen. On what
> basis can you possibly disagree with everything he says?

Oh, quit reminding me. :(  I don't necessarily disagree with everything he
says, it's the rude and childish manner in which he says it.

> The fact is, the movie *IS* a narrative mess. I saw PS/SS not having
> read the book, but could still make out the thrust of the story
> despite not understanding a couple of things until I'd read the book;
> with CoS, I can't be objective but I can honestly see how someone who
> has not read the book might see it as a series of non-sequiturs.

Mmm, here's where I differ.  I was half way through reading PS/SS before
seeing the movie.  So I had a background in it somewhat.  I have watched
PS/SS with various friends and relatives.  And every one of them was left
with a "huh?" after the movie.  Each time I spent a good twenty minutes
giving a brief review of the facts and filling in the missing details.

> A few of the things the movie does not address, or if it does,
> they're so subtle that only people who've read the book can see them
> (this is FAR from an exhaustive list!):
>
<snip>
> - Colin's fascination with Harry (major disappointment)

I must say that will be a disappointment to me as well.  The little fellow
they had playing Colin was so utterly cute.  Maybe he can't act worth
anything, I don't know, but he sure is cute.

Things that bothered me about this fellow's article in the Washington Post
were the sort of thing like saying there was no point in the Whomping Willow
and flying car.  Um, okay, hello, the flying car comes back later in the
movie!  How else would it get in the forest?  The Whomping Willow isn't
supposed to come back in this movie, it's not in again until the next book.
That's when we see the point.

I think my point is that the movies are made based on a premise that 95% of
people seeing them will have read the books.  The other 5%, oh, well, that's
their mistake.

CNN has a much more positive review, entitled "Review: 'Chamber' a rousing,
top rank sequel."  Subtitled "Harry and his crew return, and how." :)

Now on to other things, including spoilers:

>
> SP
> OI
> LE
> R
> SP
> AC
> E
>
> SP
> OI
> LE
> R
> SP
> AC
> E

First of all, to GulPlum, thank you, thank you, thank you.  And thank you
again.  I really couldn't have stood it until the DVD release not knowing
exactly what would happen in the basilisk scene.

GulPlum writes:

> Ginny says "it was all my fault" etc. (though she doesn't say
> anything about being scared of being expelled). "Harry, you're hurt".
> Harry tells her to "get yourself out" (repeat of line from PS/SS).

I'm going to be an idiot again (hey, no comments!) and ask, where is that
line in PS/SS?  I watched it again Monday night and didn't catch it.  I
*thought* it was after the chess scene, but Harry said something like "Take
Ron and get out, send an owl, etc."  I think.  Or is the repetition just
similar, not exact?  Anyway, I did notice one other repeated line.  "Scared
Potter" from Draco.  In the Forbidden Forest Harry says to Draco if he
didn't know better he'd think he was scared, and Draco says, "Scared,
Potter"  Sure, the meaning is different, but it's the same line from the
same actor.

> Fawkes arrives and lands next to kneeling Harry.

Aha!  Harry's kneeling!  I can now force my mother to stop her "Harry, he
lay a dying" comments.  She thought that was most amusing, for some reason.
But if he isn't actually lying down, well, there you go.

> Ask what you want spoiled, and I'll oblige. I will not, however,
> transcribe the entire screenplay. :-)

Oh, darn it.   Are you sure? :)  Just kidding.  I was actually trying to
think which of my friends would be willing to take my cell phone to the
movie and lay it casually beside them.  But with my luck the battery would
die at a most crucial moment.

One quick question (yes, just one. . . for now).  In the hospital wing when
Dobby comes to talk to Harry, what exactly wakes him up?  I mean, in the
book it's Dobby sponging Harry's face.  I can't quite see them doing that in
the movie, though.  Oh, okay, I lied.  Two questions.  What about Colin?  He
does actually get petrified, right?  Do they bring him to the hospital wing
while Harry's in there like in the book?

Hmm, that may actually have been three questions.  Oh, well, I tried to
limit myself.

Okay, off to bed.  Thanks again!

Richelle