Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Movie Review

SPOILER HEAVY

I have yet to see Part 1 and Part 2 back to back, but I did see Part 1 a few weeks ago and Part 2 this week. I read the book back in 2007 and the first movie covered more than half of the book. And the second mostly covers the war on Hogwarts, with the beginning the infiltration of Gringotts. The first part has the comical bits and pieces, especially the sneaking into the Ministry, but it is mostly a slow-moving sleepy movie. The part that stands out the most is the part that wasn't from the books.. Harry dancing with a depressed Hermione. Hermione stands out mostly in the first part, with Emma Watson's great acting.

The most inspiring scene is where Hermione has to wipe out her parents' memories, which was mentioned in the book but wasn't a scene. Slight liberties were taken out of the movie like Wormtail's fate (in the book, his hand kills him but he is just disarmed by Doby in the movie) and other little things. Minor details that do get this Potter fan is it is not explained how Hagrid ends up with the Deatheaters and Lupin and Tonks' kid. It is interrupted by Moody like in the book-their announcement but their relationship is barely touched upon in the movies and all of the sudden Harry mentions their son in the second part of the movie. But oh well, they assume major fans would know. But many fans have just seen the movies and not read the books.

The second part is a great Harry Potter movie, it is emotional, full of action and you feel everything come to a big conclusion and not like a weak conclusion to an eight season TV series. Most Sci-Fi TV series that end by the 7th or 9th year, most of the original cast has disappeared and they are barely out of money for big special effects but the battle on Hogwarts feels epic and you get to see a lot of old loved characters, actors all grown up like Seamus Finnigan, Lavender, Cho Chang, Dean Thomas and Parvati Patil. Cormac McLaggen appeared in the first part but not seen with the Dumbledore's Army in the second. Also in the book, Draco has his two minions Crabbe and Goyle. Goyle appears but Crabbe doesn't and it is because the actor Jamie Waylett had Marijuana problems. So they used Blaise Zabini (Louis Cordice), a minor Black character from Half-Blood Prince.

It is not explained where Crabbe is and nor who Blaise is so it looks like a random black guy appears. In the book Crabbe conjures fire and dies, in this Goyle does it and dies and Blaise survives. There is very little room for funny stuff, there is a couple of giggles here and there. One big giggle is Harry carried by Hagrid (thinking he is dead0, he drops on the floor to reveal he is alive. You'd expect he to jump and be gallant but ah, Harry, the boy who lived, a.k.a. the Chosen One, trips, which is real cool, that not even our semi-invulnerable hero is not above being a butt of jokes. A great end to a great Octology (Eight movies?).

Related: http://spanengrish.blogspot.com/2007/07/harry-potter-and-deathly-hallows-review.html

White Brown

All Poterphiles have been outraged in the controversial casting of a white girl to play the black Lavender Brown for the movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, who was previously played by a black actress in the second movie (Chamber of Secrets). Jessie Cave has been cast as Lavender Brown. I think one character's ethnicity should remain intact from book to film to remain true to the character, why cancel out diversity? Now if she is a good actress I can understand, but it barely matters I believe in this case.

After some research, I found out they actually have a white actress Jennifer Smith play her in the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. She also played a random student in the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. Harry Potter Wiki says her ethnicity was not described in the book but it has.

Leaky Lounge board discussion

CBBC Newsround

Harry Potter 7 split into two movies

As many fans already may know, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be split into two movies, most likely filmed all together and released only a few months apart from each other. Entertainment Weekly asked fans in a poll online if they think it is overkill and an astounding 66% said no. Meaning, many agree with it. Producers say it make more sense to do two because there is nothing to take out of the book. Well, I think there is at least one thing to omit: the boringness of the chapters where Harry and Heromine are alone in a tent and find some goblins or dwarfs or something of the like. Anyhoo, I would have liked just one movie because theaters cost so much. I'll just wait to rent on DVD.

The Real Albus Dumbledore

All search engines and blogs have been raving about this... 'Dumbledore gay' and I being a gay man and a Harry Potter fan, I thought I would put in my two cents. My dad was first to alert me to this news. Now, articles write 'Dumbledore is gay,' but isn't he dead? shouldn't it be 'was'? Anyhoo, this news makes sense. I remember in reading "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," something seemed to be omitted. They would talk about how Dumbledore had his rival Grindelwald and they were friends and he never realized he was bad. Then when he found out the truth, he felt betrayed. Harry felt betrayed too, in hearing his mentor was friends with this bad dude. J.K. Rowling says Dumbledore was actually in love with Grindelwald, which makes sense. I think that fills in the plot. Jo said, "If I'd known it would make you so happy, I would have announced it years ago!" Maybe she was afraid, not from what the fans would think but the rest of public. It is easier now that all the books are done, for her to announce it.

Some might think it is tacked on, that none of the other books showed any evidence of him being gay... but, I did notice some innuendo in the last book. Though her saying it now, after the fact, sort of feels ingenuine. He never mentioned a woman in his life either. I would have liked more about his sexuality in the books but I think it is fine how it is. Because, the last book was all about Harry finding out more about Dumbledore and at one point, feeling he really didn't know his beloved mentor. Some smarty pants would say that they always knew Dumbledore was gay... come on, the robes and half-moon glasses!
About the sixth film, she said, "In fact, recently I was in a script read-through for the sixth film, and they had Dumbledore saying a line to Harry early in the script saying, "I knew a girl once, whose hair..." I had to write a little note in the margin and slide it along to the scriptwriter, "Dumbledore's gay!" The scriptwriters always want to add things here and there and I am glad they listen to Rowling. I hope they took this seriously. It is most likely they won't blatantly say he is gay in the movie.

What is great from what Jo said, is this: "To an extent, do we say it excused Dumbledore a little more because falling in love can blind us to an extent? But, he met someone as brilliant as he was, and rather like Bellatrix he was very drawn to this brilliant person, and horribly, terribly let down by him." I think it is a great untold story. It is a tragedy as she said, it is un-requited love and he had to kill the one he loved and was betrayed by. I mean, it can sort of be seen but the reason or answer is left in the air. I think she meant it to be ambiguous. I usually pick up on gay innuendos, I sort of did in the back of mind that there was a romantic connection between Dumbledore and Grindelwald but never thought Jo would openly say a major character was gay. And there we go, now she said it. And Dumbeldore is definitely a major character. So analyzing all of this and looking back through the story, it does make sense and have basis.

G4tv opinions
Mugglenet has a snippet about it
FoxNews.com article
Full transcript on Leaky Cauldron

Most fans are like, "Oh, and Dumbledore was gay..." Awesome reaction. Like it's not a big deal.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Review

Spoiler Free
Quite an enjoyable book if I may say so myself. In many stories that lead to their end, many times there is new characters and new concepts and they just don't feel part of the world. J.K. Rowling has successfully added many concepts and characters that seem right. Also many questions are answered as well. Much like the past books, this one does drag on sometimes and a boat load of information that is not exactly essential to the story. I personally loved the book, all together, I don't understand these fans that are disappointed but that is expected. The characters mature of course, much like the other books. Harry, as rebellious as he was when he was in book 5 but a level more of maturity. As usual, he does get sidetracked, Hermione warns him to stay in line but he is corrected once again. The death rate is pretty high and appropriately so. Even though this novel is darker than the others, there is still time for the usual whimsy and cutesy-ness. Of course, not as much as before but still present nonetheless. I believe everything really nicely fit in place. Like Rowling said in an interview, it basically wrote itself, it felt right.

If You Finished Reading the Book
I never liked Dumbledore coming in and explaining everything to the protagonist at the end of each novel (come on! He does!). So, since was disposed of in the last book (even though that doesn't mean much in the Harry Potter world)--I was glad I wouldn't have to read a long explanation. Boy, was I was mistaken. Even though the defeat of You-Know-Who felt a bit cliche and not tighten, I have an inkling Rowling hadn't changed it since she wrote it. Now as for the Epilogue, I guess people are upset about it because it didn't have a lot of information. I guess it was strange because she always gave excruciating details to everything else. Now, I was pretty much at peace about who died except for that poor Teddy's parents, left orphan. I guess Rowling wanted to leave someone orphan. And even though we pretty much deduced what the seventh Horcrux would be--she wrote it so beautifully. And the loopholes were pretty nice. Yeah it took me like 12 hours (with breaks and such) out of 2 days.


If you never plan to read the Books
Screw you! Read the book!

Excitement over Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

You may already know that I review almost everything I see in the theaters or rent or buy, and tomorrow I will hopefully be receiving the seventh and final novel 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' from Amazon. Now, of course it will take me time to read the book. I am a slow reader, 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' took me nine days to read (well with breaks and work of course). I still haven't decided if I will post a review or not.

Also, I would like to say that is the FIRST time I have not spoiled myself before reading/watching something. Most movies or television shows, I find out as much information as I can before I watch it. For example, for the Buffy series finale I read the script online and saw spoiler-y pictures before I saw the episode. Now in this case, I haven't searched a thing, I haven't read the New York Times review, zlitch. Yes, this is a book, but it is just the same. I am so anticipating this and can't wait to read J.K.'s wonderful words. Oh also, I don't care if anyone dies and who dies. If they die, I am sure it is for a valid reason and it will all make sense. I think what is the best of stories like these is how it effects the characters in their cores. It is all about the journey. Fans have followed these characters from their prepubescent years to near adult age and they feel for these characters and want the best for them. What they went through, we have. What makes the best sci-fi story are these elements, what grounds it in reality.

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix Movie Review

For those who haven't read the books or newcomers

Now what everyone in the Muggle (I hear the term so little that sometimes I forget what it is) world have been hearing is that Harry Potter will die. There is much confusion for non-diehard fans that if it is from the movie or the upcoming final chapter of the series since both are debuting this month. Many people in my life have not read the books: my parents, my nephew, and my best friend to name a few. They love seeing the movies though. This movie is really good, beautifully visually and realistically emotionally. It is deep and psychological, much like The Prisoner of Azkaban. And certain things are twisted. Potter's love interest Cho Chang is shown to betray him through the veritaserum and then not mentioned again. In the book, it was her friend to told and the gang found out she was the squealer by a hex on her face. Cho and Harry simply 'fell apart' because of misguided jealously of Hermione and defending her friend Marietta.

Interpretations
In watching the latest adaptation, it is enjoyable for the casual viewer but there is a lot of hidden information that only ones that have read Rowling's wonderful words to truly know. In some of the other movies, I wondered if the movies only serve as nods to the fans but I figure it serves as both. I see the movies as to avenues to things I might have missed and also as different interpretations. For Rowling herself, her characters aren't the actors or the move interpretations but what she originally has in her mind. They have stayed the same for her. For example, the Dobby in my mind is way cooler than the one in the second film. This movie very much has nods to the book and plenty of hidden stuff. Sure, it omits certain things. No Marietta (Cho's friend), Gilderoy Lockhart, Dobby, Rita Skeeter, Fienze, Quidditch, nor Madame Maxime.

For Die Hard Fans
What is wonderfully kept is Harry's friend Seamus not believing him because of his mother and resolution. I am glad they kept this part in. What I felt cheapen the torment that bitch (wonderfully played by the actress in this movie) Umbridge did to Harry, was she did it to all of the D.A. in this movie. The building up of the twin's exit was excellent. This director David Yates and newcomer scribe Mike Goldenberg did a better job than the last team. This movie does well of mixing in details that had to be skipped and wonderfully playing the moments. The Goblet of Fire adaptation felt rushed and no real moments, no emotional attachment or its own identity. This movie has all of that. It does very well of capturing the theme of alienation and togetherness. In a concocted scene in the forbidden forest between Harry and Luna, wonderfully sums up the theme of the movie. While this scene's dialog felt a little forced, it did sound like something Luna would say. Luna played by Evanna Lynch did a wonderful job, just as spacey as described by Rowling. Evanna is a diehard fan according to Radcliffe is hot as ever.

All of the boys are hot in this one, including Rupert Grint (Ron). The film smartly brings the brave Ron we know from the books and downplays the 'scared Ron' that has previously been in the past flicks. I think the brave and popular Ron is what should be kept. As much as all the characters have changed, their dynamics have as well, more noticeable in the films. The book makes seem as if Harry and his two best friends are hated by everyone but indeed, they have a strong circle of friends and that what the movie addresses. Harry worries hurting the ones he loves and wants to go at it alone as his enemies make him feel alone but he must embrace his friends. The director does a fine job of exploring the worries of Harry (his godfather, his alienation, fearing he might be dark as Voldermort). Most reviewers are calling this movie 'dark.' I do admit the last one was a bit more cheery, but this movie is sure to have comparisons to The Prisoner of Azkaban and I think it is appropriate for that movie to be the first to start the dark tone.

Some parts are understandably reduced and this movie can't be expected to follow everything word for word and I applaud their cuts. As I would have liked to see Ron on a broom and uniform... what is in the film is vital to the overall theme. Though I was hoping for the flashback with Hagrid and Maxime, there is a lot that is crammed in this movie as it is. As fans complain and I as well, I think it is incredible these actors and crews can pump out these films as quickly as they are in this soon to be nine years (Deathly Hallows is expected to come out in 2010). Much love and appreciation goes to the cast and crew. It must be exhausting.

Side Note
Can't wait till Saturday but I am fearing if I read it too quickly, all the magic will be over way too soon.

What is in pink was updated and reworded at 10:47pm EST.

Entertainment Weekly's Harry Potter quiz

I just got the April 6th issue of Entertainment Weekly Magazine and took a 50 question or so (there are bonus questions) quiz on Harry Potter. I managed to answer like 39. I'm a moderate Potterphile (not hardcore hardcore but enough to name all the Weasley children), I have read Books 3-6 and just finished the six and have the seventh pre-ordered. There is a 547 % increase in first-day pre-orders on Amazon.com for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows compared to Half-Blood Prince. Not to spoil too much of the quiz, one answer I got wrong was the ingredient needed for the Draught of Living Death and I put Wolfsbane, which fans can tell you is wrong. I got the school crests right, where Harry first kissed Cho Chang right and I knew what numbers were used by Arthur Weasley at the London telephone box for access to the Ministry of Magic. Some of the questions were super hard and there were easy one like what platform does Harry take to go to Hogwarts and to put the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors in chronological order. The reason I have Ginny above is because she is one of my favorite characters, for sort of obvious reasons fans would know.

Harry Potter and the bad book cover

The highly anticipated final novel in the Harry Potter series is due in July and now the front cover illustrations are out.

I always felt they drew Harry Potter way too young than he should be on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire but maybe I'm basing that on the movies. I always felt the British Bloomsbury covers were better than the Scholastic ones.

But unfortunately this time, the Bloomsmury cover sucks. Hermione and Ron look ridiculous and this is suppose to be when we take them seriously because they have been through so much and Hermione looks like some harlot out of a Judy Bloom book. And in the Scholastic book, the font for 'Deathly Hallows' looks so lazy.

Webmasters getting their own fan pages?

It really shows the signs of the times when webmasters to fan sites get their own fan sites. Emerson Spartz of Muggle.net who famously was selected to interview J.K. Rowlings, is 19 (already divorced and with child) and has people talking about his bod. Not that I am not complaining. I am not jealous. I just find it interesting. J.K. has commented on how handsome he is and was actually lyrical about his blue eyes. I really hope for the best for this guy because sometimes when stuff that has occurred to him (meeting famous people, visiting sets, news coverage, popularity, divorce and children) happen to someone in their youth, things hit a downward spiral. It doesn't necessarily means it will happen but you just got to be of strong character to withstand it.