Harry Potter: My anti-drug

Tonight at midnight I will have in my clutches the last Harry Potter book. I plan to stay up all night reading, which shouldn't be too hard a task since I have been going to sleep at 3:00am anyway. I love summer. Speaking of Harry Potter, I still haven't posted what I thought of the movie! Purely my folly.

I saw The Order of the Phoenix the day it came out with my delightful friend Kitty. We were highly impressed by the people who dressed up even though it wasn't the midnight showing. We waited in line for about an hour, but the line never got too long. Our patience paid off, however, because there were only six or so people ahead of us.

I was geared up to mentally slash the movie's general quality, and I wasn't disappointed. My biggest qualm was with the acting. Mrs. Figg was, quite simply, terrible. In the book she was mad as hell at Mundungus Fletcher, barking at Harry to keep his wand out, and overall very galvanized by the Dementors appearance in Little Winging. In the movie she seems mildly surprised to see Harry, and talks quietly and meekly to him. I fully understand the need to make changes to the story so it will both translate better to film and be shorter, but for Pete's sake! An enthused performance doesn't take any longer than a boring one! Mrs. Figgs is such a fun character in the book, why make her utterly forgettable in the movie?

I was unimpressed with most of the acting. Luna and Bellatrix were good, though. What I liked best about the film was the writing. I thought this Michael Goldenberg character was actually very good at making changes to the story to keep it short. A lot was left out, but you can't include everything.

In general I thought the movie was so-so. It wasn't as bad as Goblet of Fire, and not as good as Prisoner of Azkaban.


And now for some HP gossip:
In my last post I said Steve Cloves was writing Deathly Hallows. I checked IMDb again today and (GASP!) the only writer listed was JK herself, not a Clove in sight. Is it just a little typo? Or is Steve gone for good?

As far as directing goes for the Deathly Hallows (no one has signed on yet) I hereby nominate Baz Luhrmann of Strictly Ballroom, Romeo+Juliet, and Moulin Rouge. He has a colorful and energetic style, and I think could do quite well with a story about magic. My only concern would be he might be a little too light for the probable carnage in Hallows. Another good idea: Bill Condon. Why? No other reason than I just like him. In fact, he's near the top of my gay-men-I-want-to-marry list. I think he could bring the showy big-screen magic of Dreamgirls, and the frank, slightly weird tone of Gods and Monsters to the final instalment of Harry's adventures.


BUT WAIT! Before I go I have to publish my predictions for the book.

1. Snape=innocent Dumbledore's not an idiot. Snape will sacrifice himself somehow and make it possible for Harry to kill Voldamorte. In the meantime he probably has the Death Eater's full trust.

2. Kreacher=big deal I read JK Rowling told filmmakers to introduce Kreacher in OOTP or else they would have trouble later.

Those are my big two, but I also think Harry could be a horcrux, and there could be a connection between Hermione and Grawp. (Thanks Maddie)

OOTP had better not be as bad as Three's Company

There's no doubt about it, it's the unofficial Month O' Harry Potter! Not only is the 5th movie coming out, Order of the Phoenix, THE SEVENTH BOOK IS COMING OUT!! The LAST one! There will we witness the circle of life; Voldemort will die, and Ron and Hermione will shack up.

But the pressing matter at the moment is the next movie. It comes out tomorrow and all I can say is I am jealous of those lucky saps who have midnight tickets. I am going at noon thank you very much.

So am I excited about the movie? Sort of, I'm not to partial to the other movies. Let's review the Director/Writer combos.


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
D Christ Columbus Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone, Rent
W Steve KlovesWonder Boys, The Fabulous Baker Boys

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
D Chris Columbus
W Steve Kloves

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
D Alfonso CuaronGreat Expectations, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Children of Men
W Steve Kloves

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
D Mike NewellFour Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco, Pushing Tin
W Steve Kloves

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
D David YatesRank, Punch
W Michael GoldenbergPeter Pan, Contact

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2008)
D David Yates
W Steve Kloves

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010)
No director yet
W Steve Kloves

*Sniff* I want Alfonso back! POA was my favorite movie! I'm skeptical about OOTP because WHO THE HECK ARE DAVID YATES AND MICHAEL GOLDENBERG? Am I the only one who hasn't heard of them? Nearly everything in their filmographies are TV shows. * Indignant scoff * I don't watch TV. I just don't like it. I guess I shouldn't get upset about the movie before I even see it, but I'm suspicious to anything related to television.

Only time will tell.

Can I marry Bill Condon please?

I saw Dreamgirls yesterday! It was EXCELLENT. Exciting! Shiny! Loud! Epic!
When I walked in I was thinking grumblestupidChicagostupidmusicalsIhateamericanidolgrumble. But, I saw the error of my ways in the first 10 minutes. I loved all the characters, all the acting, and all the sets and costumes. Good stuff, folks. It's enough even to celebrate Kinsey and Gods and Monsters without the garish stigma that is Chicago. Yay.

Just had to spread the word.

Rumors! Tabloids! Scandal! (ok, not really)

Here's a random grab bag of gossip and observations

There have been a lot of rumors over who's going to direct Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Currently hot money's* on Terry Gilliam. Yes, the one from Monty Python, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and The Brothers Grimm.
Hey, I think it could be very interesting to see what he does with it.

Woody Allen dropped his summer project about three Americans in Paris. He even started casting people, Michele Williams and David Krumholtz. I guess they'll have to find something new to do with their summer, meanwhile Woody is going to start filming Scoop, the latest Scarlett-Johanson-falls-in-love-in-London movie.

Charlie Kaufman is working on something! IMDb calls it "Untitled Charlie Kaufman/Spike Jones Summer Project" Who will star? What is it about? When will it be out? Will it be conventional and down to earth?**

Mission Impossible 3 has been estimated to only make $50 million over the weekend, instead of the $60 million guess from Friday. How sad, only a five with seven measly zeros behind it. Paramount is dumbfounded. Who is to blame? Is it Cruise? Mixed reviews? The lack of horror movie violence? Well, Tom Cruise is an easy target, which is probably why Hollywood is pointing fingers his direction. I still say $50 million is a damn good opening.



*Don't gamble, kids

** Ha! Seriously, I'm just messing with you

The man must not sleep

I swear, you look away for one second, and Steven Speilberg has twenty projects going. Crazy!
As far as directing goes, he's working on an Untitled Steven Speilberg/Abraham Lincoln project. So far, Liam Neeson is cast for Lincoln, and it's based on a biography by Doris Kearns Goodwin. He's also making another Indiana Jones, with Harrison Ford acting, and George Lucas, and Frank Marshell producing.

Spielberg is producing a number of movies, TWO with Clint Eastwood, and Paul Haggis. Flags of our Fathers, and Red Sun, Black Sand. (Oscar! Oscar! Oscar!)
He's also doing Monster House, Disturbia, When Worlds Collide, Jarassic Park IV, Transformers: The Movie, and The Talisman.