[HPFGU-Movie] My comments on CoS (long!)

[Calliope]

"Richelle Votaw" wrote:
   
>2. Harry's expression when Uncle Vernon yelled his name after all Hedwig's
racket.  Perfect. 

I agree!  I love Daniel's expressions.

>5. Harry's brilliantly delivered "I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and
pretending I don't exist." Exquisite.

One of my absolute favorite lines from the book.  Very well done.  Any time
people say that DR isn't Harry, I direct them to that line.  A perfect blend of
feigned meekness tinged with bitter sarcasm.

>9. The Burrow.  Everything about it.  Harry's fascination with everything was
well done, even though only a short time was devoted to it.  Loved Arthur
Weasley, especially when he finally noticed Harry.  Ginny's reaction to Harry's
"Hello."  And Harry's "What did I do?"  The only thing I didn't like was Molly's
"Only one place we can find all of this . . . Diagon Alley."  Sounds like a
commercial for Diagon Alley.

The whole Burrow scene was wonderful.  I loved the looks on
Ron/Fred/George/Harry's faces when Mrs. Weasley comes swooping down on them.  I
*despised* the diagon alley bit - it's like she said "Only one place we can go
on vacation - Disney World!"  Ugh!

>13. Draco's swift change from big bad bully to silent, meek little boy when
Lucious appeared was perfect.

As soon as Lucius says "now, now, Draco, play nicely," it's like Draco's face
just melts.  That cane...well, we won't go there.  :)

>15. The Whomping Willow was great, not as I pictured it, but well done still. 
I liked Ron's "My wand!  Look at my wand!"  And Harry's "Be thankful it's not
your neck."  I also love it when the car throws them out.  Along with the
luggage.

Yep, yep.  And Ron's "Scabbers!" comment reminds us who Scabbers is - I wanted
to yell "Throw him out!  He's an Animagus!  Aah!"

>19. Mudblood conversation--it was okay once Hermione got past the explanation
and Hagrid had his turn.  Robbie Coltrane was great there, as always.

Daniel looked rather - handsome - sitting there in his Quidditch gear, didn't
he?  I thought right before that, the Draco/Ron confrontation fell rather flat. 
Everyone just *stood there* - in the book there was an indignant uproar.  All we
saw was DR's eyes getting big, and then a big pause before Ron cursed Draco.

>23. The entire dueling club scene was great, spell problems aside
(expelliarmus, etc.), Snape was great.  I loved it when he shoved Malfoy back
out into the duel.

Yes!  It was funny when Lockhart threw his cape into the "screaming fangirls". 
And the Parseltongue bit was very well done.  If DR was older, it would have
been almost sexy.  *grin*  The look on Snape's face was priceless; after he gets
rid of the snake, DR kind of does this little head shaking thing, like he's
coming out of a trance.  Spooky.

>26. Draco's "I didn't know you could read!" to Goyle/Harry was perfect.

One of the few "added" things that I enjoyed.  That little smirk was precious.

>30. Fred's (or George's) comment about the Hufflepuff team being scared that
Harry would petrify them.

One of the few lines they actually get!  Poor guys.  But it was funny!

>32. Ron's "Follow the butterflies" line was priceless.

Another added line that was actually funny.  Though I wish they'd explained
*why* Ron hates spiders (b/c one of the twins turned his teddy bear into a
spider when he was little) so he didn't seem so wimpy.  Ron is NOT a wimp!

>33. The spider scene, I especially liked Harry's "What!?" to Ron as he
continues to interrupt in the middle of his conversation with Aragog.  I also
loved Harry's ever polite, though nervous "Well, thank you, we'll just go."

Yep!  Very cute.  Those warbly "Harry?"'s were hilarious.  Ron's freaking out,
and Harry's calmly carrying on a conversation with a giant spider.  The contrast
was funny.

>34. I loved Ron's line "If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him!"

Yes, agreed!

>37. Snape's "Your moment has come at last" and McGonagall's "That's settled . .
. your skills, after all, are legend." Those comments to Lockhart were
wonderfully delivered.

I love sarcastic!teachers. Especially Snape and McGonagall.

>40. Moaning Myrtle's "Hello, Harry." in the bathroom.  Loved it.

I like when she said "If you die down there, you can share my toilet" to which
Harry gives her a polite but squicked smile and a "thanks".

>>43. Harry had his wand in his left hand when he entered the chamber. He's
right handed.  

That REALLY bugged me.

>45. The Basilisk was awesome.  However, don't snakes smell with their tongues? 
Shouldn't the Basilisk have been able to smell Harry rather than turn away to
follow the sound of the rock? I'm no snake expert, though.

You are exactly right.  That bit about "he can still hear you" was stupid.  I
understand that was Columbus' doing - he wanted to drag out the Chamber scene.
Ugh.

>46. Just a note, how in the world did Harry get down off the top of the statue
of Slytherin, holding both the sword and the fang and being poisoned by the
venom from the Basilisk?

GOOD QUESTION.  

>51. Kind of comical, a sword sharp enough to kill a 60 foot Basilisk with a
single stab, yet Harry easily handles it by the blade.  Interesting (i.e. bad
directing!).

The only reason I see for it was so we could clearly see the "Godric
Gryffindor."  But it was still stupid.  

>52. The hug/no hug part.  Ron saved it, that's all I'll say.

It made NO sense to cut out the H/H hug at the end of SS, but stick one in here
at the end.  Very stupid.  Funny as heck, but stupid.

>>Just a few last comments about the actors, Daniel Radcliffe never ceases to
amaze me, he was absolutely incredible.  I can see problems in SS/PS, even
though I thought he did great, but here he was brilliant.  Rupert is incredible,
especially considering what he had to work with.  Emma, well, it's not her fault
what lines they gave her!

I agree.  All three kids did an outstanding job.  I think they rose above the
direction as much as they could, and I believe Cuaron will bring out the best in
them.  As they get more experience, they will get even better.

Calliope

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