Now that the new and final Harry Potter movie is out, I decided that I could wait to see it until after I watched all the other Harry Potter movies again. I’m averaging one a night. In putting them in order for viewing, I realized we were missing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I’m wondering if that’s because it was so sad that I didn’t feel compelled to watch it again immediately. Regardless, I bought it yesterday so that when I get to that point, I won’t be stuck in the middle of the night trying to choose between delayed gratification and a trip to 24-hour Walmart.
Here is what I’m realizing (sometimes for the first time, but sometimes again) as I’ve re-watched the first three:
1. How good they are.
2. How I must have seen the first two movies only one time each because so much has seemed–not new, really, but fresh. I’ve forgotten a lot.
3. How well they chose the three principal actors. It’s a leap of faith, isn’t it, to pick child actors in a franchise that will cover years of filming.
4. The other casting is brilliant, as well. Though The Prisoner of Azkaban is probably the only one of the HP movies I’ve seen multiple times (because Tom seems frequently to stumble over it on TV and get caught up in it), and it may not be my favorite of them, each time she appears, Emma Thompson is a treat as Sybill Trelawney. And I.love.Snape, thank you Alan Rickman.
5. Even though I’ve read all the books, it’s been a long time, so I’m grateful to avoid movie spoilers. I love getting lost in a film’s world.
6. I seem to see a lot more when I watch movies and shows on my computer instead of on TV or even in the theater. I love seeing panoramic shots in a theater, but sometimes too much sound and image overwhelms me. I’m easily distracted when I watch TV, especially by movement and noise from other people or dogs. I guess I spend so much time alone at my computer monitor that it has become my natural habitat. Also, when I’m watching solo, I can hit the pause button as many times as I want for whatever reason without feeling guilty about other people’s viewing experience. I still love going to the theater, and I still like watching stuff with friends and family. I just think I comprehend more when I watch on the computer.
Since The Prisoner of Azkaban is so familiar to me, I decided it would be okay to do a little sewing while I watched. In Target, there was a display of socks right across the aisle from the DVDs. I bought a single pair of knee socks (on clearance!) and made all these while Harry and Company were doing a little time traveling and werewolfing:
Birthstone Beauties Pretty in Pink Argyle.
Okay, I’m going to say it … the books bored me. I didn’t like Harry or Herm. in the book at all. I quit reading midway through the the Goblet book, I only really liked Snape and Neville , who I felt was a much bigger hero then Harry … HOWEVER, I love love love the movies!
It’s okay, it’s possible J.K. Rowling won’t read your books, either. 😉
I am fine with that … as long as she watches the Lifetime movies! I think she did an amazing thing, good on her – and I love that she made a mint. I am always for the single mom. And I don’t discredit that they aren’t well written, I think they are – they just didn’t hook me.
By the way Emily looks AMAZING!
By the way Emily looks AMAZING!
Thanks!
Harry Potter, the saga: I spent a whole week watching these so that I could watch the final. I have never read the books. I know that there are some huge departures here and there, but I agree that the movies were really good. The hardest part was to avoid the previews for them.
The books were a much faster read than I expected them to be. I can definitely see why they captivated readers of all ages. I’ve never really missed anything from them when they went to movies, but that goes along with my philosophy of seeing movies made from books as totally different animals from their source.
I saw the final Harry Potter film last Friday – 9:45am show! – and I thought the same thing about the supporting players; there’s not a dud amongst them. Helena Bonham Carter’s Bellatrix LeStrange is Oscar-worthy. Ditto Alan Rickman’s Snape. (They should both receive Academy Award nominations for HP7P2!) And the “kids”… I doubt we’ll see a “Diff’rent Strokes” ending for those three.
PS – LOVE the sock dresses!
Thanks!
Last night we watched Order of the Phoenix–that’s the first time Bellatrix shows up, isn’t it? I couldn’t stop watching her–she’s the best mad witch ever. I’d forgotten she was the one responsible for Sirius’s fate. I’ve forgotten SO MUCH of these movies (and the books before them).