HP5 Order of the Phoenix!
Thursday, July 12th, 2007 02:31 pmWell this is the fifth movie of the series. And there's a lot of hoopla now about it. Which is just silly to me. Here we are really on the eve of the final installment, but all of the supposedly "in" websites are talking about Bellatrix Lestrange. That's old news, guys! We're trying to see if Harry lives or dies!
So by now, we all know that there is no way that the book will translate accurately into the movie. If you have that expectation, just don't even bother going to see the movie. You will be disappointed. As one fan reviewer pointed out "This is the longest book and the shortest movie." That said, I think this one is a very entertaining.
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So I'll start with what I enjoyed. I really enjoyed Luna Lovegood. She was just so cute. It's funny how everyone is taller than Daniel now. Even the girls. I loved the looks that Ginny kept giving Cho. I really liked that Umbridge was not the center of attention. She was my least favorite character. I hated her in the book. Not because she was the bad guy and I was rooting for Harry. Rather it was because I thought she was a silly plot twist. Granted, it is a children/teen geared story so I forgave it. Iliked LOVED that Bellatrix actually killed Sirius before he got blasted into the Veil. I'd never considered that the blast from her wand was the killing curse. It makes sense why he'd slip into the Black Veil. And since I know they consult JK, I've got to wonder if they didn't ask for and receive clarification on that scene. Let's not forget the lack of waterworks from Cho. I really appreciated that. And how about my favorite house elf! I will say he isn't my favorite because he was evil. I just liked the fact that he had more depth than the other house elves. He was the kind you couldn't trust or turn you back on.
Those are just the ones that really come to mind immediately.
Things I didn't like or wasn't fond of include... I wasn't that excited with Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix. I kept thinking "That's the Fight Club chick" the whole time. I was expecting Tyler Durden to show up. I was upset that they didn't have Minerva attacked by Umbridge. That was NOT a favorite scene of mine; however, her homecoming at the end of the book was a good attempt at lightening the mood. I didn't think that the weight of Sirius' death was given a chance to sink in. The lack of focus on the Order. The lack of focus on the really super creepy Black house. The lack of Caps Lock Harry. The lack of Harry's Tantrum of Destruction in Dumbly's office. Without that tantrum, Dumbledore's revelation came across as kind of creepy. Especially considering Daniel's last project. o_O The lack of the entire prophecy.
As an interesting fact, I once played Evan Rosier in an RP (for those that do not know, lawlz). When I saw the movie, I couldn't remember Sirius' younger brother's name. So I looked him up on wikipedia. They had the Black family tree up so I looked it over and noticed that Sirius Black had a paternal uncle who married a Rosier. Which means that I could have had some scenes with our Sirius. Lesigh Oh well. I don't think the characters would have been any different being distantly related.
Also roflcopter to Sirius' parents, they were second cousins and both Blacks already.
-Jay
So by now, we all know that there is no way that the book will translate accurately into the movie. If you have that expectation, just don't even bother going to see the movie. You will be disappointed. As one fan reviewer pointed out "This is the longest book and the shortest movie." That said, I think this one is a very entertaining.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
So I'll start with what I enjoyed. I really enjoyed Luna Lovegood. She was just so cute. It's funny how everyone is taller than Daniel now. Even the girls. I loved the looks that Ginny kept giving Cho. I really liked that Umbridge was not the center of attention. She was my least favorite character. I hated her in the book. Not because she was the bad guy and I was rooting for Harry. Rather it was because I thought she was a silly plot twist. Granted, it is a children/teen geared story so I forgave it. I
Those are just the ones that really come to mind immediately.
Things I didn't like or wasn't fond of include... I wasn't that excited with Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix. I kept thinking "That's the Fight Club chick" the whole time. I was expecting Tyler Durden to show up. I was upset that they didn't have Minerva attacked by Umbridge. That was NOT a favorite scene of mine; however, her homecoming at the end of the book was a good attempt at lightening the mood. I didn't think that the weight of Sirius' death was given a chance to sink in. The lack of focus on the Order. The lack of focus on the really super creepy Black house. The lack of Caps Lock Harry. The lack of Harry's Tantrum of Destruction in Dumbly's office. Without that tantrum, Dumbledore's revelation came across as kind of creepy. Especially considering Daniel's last project. o_O The lack of the entire prophecy.
As an interesting fact, I once played Evan Rosier in an RP (for those that do not know, lawlz). When I saw the movie, I couldn't remember Sirius' younger brother's name. So I looked him up on wikipedia. They had the Black family tree up so I looked it over and noticed that Sirius Black had a paternal uncle who married a Rosier. Which means that I could have had some scenes with our Sirius. Lesigh Oh well. I don't think the characters would have been any different being distantly related.
Also roflcopter to Sirius' parents, they were second cousins and both Blacks already.
-Jay
no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 05:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 01:49 pm (UTC)They did Luna's character so well that she might have upstaged the entire rest of the cast :).
no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 05:56 pm (UTC)Helena did a great job as Bellatrix. I just couldn't get past the fact that she was the Fight Club chick. I just couldn't see her as Bellatrix. I couldn't put her into character, she wasn't how I imagined Bellatrix to look. Though she did have the crazed look and all, it just wasn't working for me. Her performance though was fantastic!
After Sirius' died, it was like ... "Hmm, did someone die in this movie? I don't remember." I'm sure there will be so much more on the DVD. Though I don't know if I will even bother to watch. I might. Never know.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-19 07:59 pm (UTC)You said, "I'd never considered that the blast from her wand was the killing curse." Well, that's probably because when you read it it looked like:
"Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: He was laughing at her. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.
The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.
The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock."
So I've just always imagined it to be red.
But at least Snape and Lucius were cool. And I liked Bellatrix's dress. I didn't imagine Fight Club, but Helena's face was too round for the part in my opinon. She should have been Tonks.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-19 08:07 pm (UTC)Actually I don't think I cared much for Sirius' death either way. Who cares about the
shaggy dogCAPS LOCKS Boy'sdeath of being knocked into the veil. I read several other reactions that went like this "NOOOOO!! Bellatrix did NOT use the Avada Kedavra curse! OH NOES!" So I'm glad that was explained better in the movie.I hated the book too. I thought the plot was lame. The Caps locks of doom were annoying. McGonagall getting hurt and not being in most of the book made me cry (though not as much as this next book prolly with the lack of my Dumbly man). Umbridge was capital A annoying.
I thought I was going to hate the movie and went to it with that very idea. Matt was the one who convinced me to go. So I think expecting it to be awful made the parts that weren't awful very delightful instead.
I'm starting to get excited about the last book now. I'm hoping to pick it up tomorrow after work.