One Week Later

It's been a week since the last Great Harry-thon came to a close (and by close, I mean close).  Throughout this week we have seen the grand finale three times--once in the double feature/midnight showing with our dear friends Lacie and Leland, once on Saturday night with Mike, and once on Wednesday night for Julie's work party (that means it was free!) with our London friends Caity and Melissa.  We always joke with people who were unable to join our opening day festivities that it probably wouldn't be very hard to persuade us to see it again if they want to go at a later date, so we might just see it a couple more times in the theater (and when it comes to the dollar theater??  Forget about it!).

So what did I think?  I'll tell you what I think!  Well, you can probably guess what I think, and you would probably be right.

I loved it.

I don't know if I'm ready to give it my stamp of "favorite," but it comes pretty close.  Although it's the shortest of the films, which makes sense as it covers about 250 pages of text, I was amazed at how it filled the time, since it basically consisted of two major events (though they were pretty major).  The action was intense and the characters and relationships were at their very best.  Dan, Rupert and Emma have sure come a long way in the acting department, though I always thought they played their characters well, and by now I can't possibly imagine anyone else as Harry, Ron and Hermione.  I almost cared about Snape, and Alan Rickman finally had his chance to actually do a little acting (he's a fine Snape, I guess, though he doesn't really nail the nastiness that Snape has in the books, and his portrayal has always been restrained and a little bit theatrical).  The score was fantastic, it had the right blend of end-of-the-wizarding-world intensity and real emotion, and expertly incorporated some perfectly-placed key themes from the very first John Williams scores to great effect--there were a couple of moments when I gasped and gripped Julie's arm when an incredibly familiar theme started to play.

The midnight experience was fun, and I'm glad we did it, not to mention the excitement of the double feature and starting the second half almost immediately after the first (which I so desperately wanted to do last November when Part 1 was released), and though there were some people who were obviously dragged there and didn't quite "get" the excitement of a midnight showing, it was really awesome.  As a side note, I'm really glad we bought tickets early enough to get them right here in Provo so we wouldn't have to drive home through construction and freeway closures at three in the morning... We were dressed in full Gryffindor attire (which I admit is more conducive to a fall/winter movie release), and the hundreds of fans waiting in the lobby and the theater were duly impressed, and some even asked to take pictures with or of us.  We were like celebrities!  One day we will have a wee tot and draw a scar on his forehead and go as James, Lily and Harry.  I mean, I have heard more than once already that I kind of resemble James in the movies, which I'll totally accept.

She's so excited!

The Wife stopped to say a quick hello to Captain America.  See you next week!

This is a very small indication of the crowds.  This is the line for snacks and cheeses.

Rushing to finish re-reading the Epilogue between Part 1 and Part 2.

Us!  Note the Cherry Coke in the cupholder.  We were taking precautions in order to be alert all through the night.

The Lius!

Now that's what I like to see.  A theater showing Harry Potter all day.

Overall I was so pleased to see just how much they included in this movie, and the embellishments to the ending didn't bother me at all.  That Fiendfyre scene is really intense (just sayin') and I thought it was a fitting final battle between Harry and Voldemort, with some very interesting themes being brought full-circle.  Yes, I did laugh, gasp and smile almost the whole time, and yes, I did get kind of misty at certain parts (and some of them were really unexpected parts!).  The only gripe I have, and it is minor, is that this doesn't seem to have a fully fleshed-out story as a film on its own.  As the second half of one really long film based on the last Harry Potter book, it is fanTAStic, and I like to think of the two movies as one long movie anyway.  I think it's better that way, and the story and characters round out better.  My annoyance with the splitting of the book into two parts is well-documented, and the trend it seems to have started (NO Twilight book can or should be split into two parts, period.  Especially not the last one.  I just have no idea how they're going to make that into two movies that don't induce the viewer into a coma.), and I still think it would have been awesome to have one super-long finale event, but if it means that I get both of these awesome movies, I'll take it.  I wonder if I'll ever be able to just watch one of the movies once Part 2 is on DVD...  So far I'm already finding it difficult to just listen to the second part of the soundtracks.

 

Anyway, it was wonderful, and it's been a really awesome trip from start to finish.  It's been ten years since the first movie was released, and the memories of driving with Elise up to Jordan Landing are as fresh in my mind as the day they happened.  The traditions have changed, and I have luckily found a spouse that is as enamored of The Boy Who Lived as I am (at LEAST as much as I am), so she understands and indulges (and encourages and fuels!) the hype and excitement I feel as each Harry Potter Day, of which there are now very very few remaining, draws closer.  I do have mixed feelings about it all being over at least, but I don't feel all tragic and woeful and "the end of an era means the end of my life and childhood and happiness!" like some of the fans are feeling, I feel like it's been an amazing journey, and though I've had my quibbles with some of the movies, I'm a very grateful fan.  I didn't "grow up" with the books or movies, like my younger sister and fellow super-fan did, but I still followed them and came to feel like the characters were really good friends.  It does feel like the end of something big, but I like to think of it as Alan Rickman is quoted to have said in some premiere interviews:  "I think things like this are meant to end, and you should not miss it--you should just be happy that it ends well."  Will there ever be anything like Harry Potter again?  I seriously doubt it.  It's an incredible phenomenon that has meant so much to so many people on such real and personal levels, and I can't see anything else ever coming close to that, but that just makes me glad that I found it when I did and was able to take part in and enjoy all the amazing hype and waiting (and waiting and waiting...) for the newest book or movie.  I don't even know what I'll have to look forward to so eagerly in the theaters now...  OhwaityesIdoit'sTheHobbitofcourse.

Also, about the Epilogue?  I like it.  The make-up wasn't entirely convincing (Ron and Hermione hardly looked older at all), but when you see the images floating around the internet of how they looked the first time they filmed that scene (19 years later?  More like 39 years later!  This first attempt was scrapped, leading almost to cutting the Epilogue scene entirely), you realize that it's really pretty good.  It was so great to hear that familiar music and see Harry sending his own kids off to Hogwarts, coming full-circle and bringing back memories of his own first journey on the Hogwarts Express, almost as if it happened to each of us.  It's so weird that there's a real feeling of personal nostalgia involved, but there it is.  It was also kind of symbolic of the feeling I (and we as fans) will have one day when I put the first book in the hands of my own kids and introduce them to the experience of discovering the world of Harry and Co.  Hopefully they'll be interested in the books before the movies, I would love for them to have the same experience I had of discovering the world in the words before seeing them brought to life so expertly on the screen.

HP7.2 Take 2!

This time I'm reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

 

 

So yeah, this is a little gooey, not unlike when I blogged about finally reading the last book, but it's been a huge part of my life for more than a decade, influencing my art, my musical and cinematic taste, and it was even a huge factor in the development of my relationship with my dear sister and of course, the series of very fortunate events that led me to meeting and marrying my moste splendid wife.  Thanks for everything, Harry.  Your story has been told, but you're not really out of the picture.

A message to people who still haven't seen this movie, or to those who (SOMEhow) haven't seen the other ones, or, even more amazingly, haven't read the books:  SEE IT.  READ THEM.  Then come back and thank me. :)

The Chronciles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

A couple of weeks ago the latest installment of the Narnia film series was released.  We went on opening night and I really loved it!  I guess I can't say I was more excited to see this than I was to see the latest Harry Potter, but I did have to think about it for a few minutes.  I get more into the hype of HP, but Narnia makes me feel all happy and warm inside.

So Disney has for some ridiculous reason(s) relinquished their hold on the Narnia film franchise, but luckily Fox teamed up with Walden Media to produce the third in the series.

It was wonderful to see that with a new director and even a new studio, the film is very consistent with the world and feeling created by the first two movies.  It feels very much like a believable continuation, picking up with a slightly older Edmund and Lucy, as well as newcomer Eustace Clarence Scrubb as they join King Caspian on board The Dawn Treader.  It was great to see Caspian again (having by now thankfully ditched the distracting accent in favor of his natural English inflection), and Eustace was a nice addition, though I'm afraid to say the actor chosen was sort of repulsive at times (and yes, I know that's sort of the point of Eustace, at least at the start, but it made it kind of difficult to even watch him act for a while).  The (almost completely) returning cast are always great to see, even as far as Tilda Swinton returning with yet another cameo as Jadis, which would lead nicely to her possibly playing the Lady of the Green Kirtle in The Silver Chair, should the film series continue, and there are brief appearances by Peter and Susan as well.  The movie was as faithful an adaptation as the films ever have been, sincere in theme and message, making slight story adjustments as needed, and as appropriate, but maintaining the established Narnia feeling and tone.  The score was excellent, incorporating a few new nautical themes while maintaining the major Narnia themes thus far expected, even though a new composer has been enlisted (unlike the composers for other recent franchise films, who totally ignore the iconic themes of the series up until that point...  Yes, I'm looking at you, Deathly Hallows composer Alexandre Desplat...).

I admit The Voyage of the Dawn Treader didn't affect me as emotionally as the previous two (especially Prince Caspian--that movie made me feel some kind of miraculous cinematic emotion for whatever reason), but I think that's just because the story structure and one-quest-to-the-next format of the storytelling don't really get to me quite as much.  It was still excellent, even if just to see them continue the wonderful series in such a consistent and quality manner.

So it was an excellent evening in the theater, and I was glad to see a good number of people present, though from what I hear, I still fear that low numbers could be the demise of this series from this point (which is, I think, why Disney passed over the reins after unfortunately lackluster box office numbers for Prince Caspian, which is also a bummer since now I won't hear about it on my various Disney podcasts or see it in any capacity in the parks).  I encourage everyone to see this movie, take your family, tell your friends, spread the joy.  There's so much rubbish in the theaters these days, I think we really need to support when such quality films come out.  It seems like a lot of people didn't even realize it was out yet.

I really can't think of a way this movie could have been better.  Keep it up, Narnia.  I'll be buying my tickets to The Silver Chair around 2012 or so.

Tangled

It's out!  I have seen it!  (Twice now!)  I really liked it!  (Even more the second time!)

 

Here are my animation-major (that is, -snob) thoughts.  I'll try not to make it TOO long, and break it up for easier perusal.

First, some pros:

•  It was a Disney movie through and through.  As much as the trailer tried to convince me that it was a so-so Shrek knock-off, this is no film from DreamWorks.  There's nothing cynical or sarcastic about it at all.  It was sincere and sweet, honestly funny and genuinely warm (without, I should point out, being sappy).
• It did look quite beautiful as a film.  Rapunzel's hair was really pretty stunning to watch, and it was interesting to see how they handled it, even as sort of a character itself (though not as a sentient, thinking entity as the previews made it seem).  The light and the colors and the sets were all really interesting and notably Disney as well.
• The story was strong and the characters really propelled it.  It didn't rely on potty humor (at all) or cliché plot devices.  In hindsight, there are hints of previous Disney films reflected in the story (Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Aladdin), which is probably partly why it fits so well in the Disney canon.  It was contemporary without being overly-anachronistic, and it really surprised me in a couple of places (since I was pretty much spoiler-free with this one, which is not my usual thing with Disney movies).  I won't give it all here, so as not to ruin anyone's future enjoyment, but it really was funny and the ending was surprisingly touching.
• The characters were charming and likeable.  Rapunzel and Flynn Rider are an excellent unlikely duo, and their relationship is believable but also really fun.  Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi provide both the speaking as well as singing voices for their respective characters, and are both fine voice actors.  I was hesitant about Mandy Moore, but as it turns out, she does pretty well with voicework for animation.  At times I forgot entirely it was Mandy Moore, she just knew the character so well.  Design-wise, she was cute and believably young, naive and optimistic, but still spunky and funny.  She had a really nice arc of development, growing up just enough to keep her endearing but making you care about what happened to her.  Zachary Levi also played his part with charm and swagger, but also really knew his character and where he was supposed to go.  I don't really know him as Chuck, but word is that a lot of people are surprised at his performance in this, especially his unexpected singing voice.  His development was a little more subtle than Rapunzel's, but it was just as it needed to be for who he was.  Mother Gothel is a standout Disney villain, with a surprisingly subtle and nuanced character, and Broadway veteran Donna Murphy was an excellent casting choice.  There was a slew of secondary characters (the "Pub Thugs") who perform their function adequately and amusingly.  Also, as a sort of departure for this sort of film from Disney, the animal sidekicks did not speak, but their acting was perfectly clear regardless (which is a real sign of great animation--non-speaking characters emoting and expressing dialogue--see Dumbo and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron).
• The music!  Don't get me wrong, Randy Newman did a fantastic job with his work on The Princess and the Frog, but it was great to see (read: hear) Alan Menken back in action.  The man really is the sound of "New Disney," and his writing was in fine form for Tangled.  It's interesting because it is sort of a unique sound compared to some of his other work for the studio (a little more pop than his other more Broadway-styled work, think Enchanted rather than Beauty and the Beast), but it's still decidedly Disney.  I liked the songs and score when I watched it, but it grew on me even more each time I listened to the soundtrack (which is to say at least once every day since I saw the movie--in fact, I'm listening to it even now).  It has all the types of song you would hope to hear in a Disney movie:  The main character's "I Want" song, setting the stage and developing the character; a fun and memorable villain song (with its more sinister and dynamic reprise); a random story progression showstopper featuring a band of secondary characters; the love song; a thrilling and moving score.  "I See the Light" is a lovely and understated love song, and fits perfectly in the Disney songbook:

Now for just a few minor cons:

• I just kept wishing the entire time it were a traditionally-animated film.  I love the look and feel of 2D animation so much, it just seemed in some ways a shame that Disney's "50th Animated Feature" should deviated in such a fundamental way from the artform that the studio is so famous for and perfected.  It was pretty enough, and in a lot of ways really played like a 2D film though, so I was able to mostly get over that (after all, it's not like I'm against ALL 3D films, as Pixar has yet to let me down).  It was more about the characters and the story than the medium, and it didn't rely entirely on the form of visuals used, but there were a couple of visual/story things that didn't seem to work quite as well.  For example, someone flying through the air over a castle tower and landing astride a horse or sliding down a conveniently-placed slope to safety after falling hundreds of feet down a ravine just seem to work when they're hand-drawn, but the element of slightly more realism in a 3D film seems to just make those sorts of things... kind of hard to accept.  Also, Rapunzel's eyes are just SO big.  It worked with Ariel and Jasmine, because they were drawings, but when it comes to this, it's a little off-putting and distracting.  You get used to it, sure, but I muttered to Julie about how big they were more than a few times.  Sometimes I see drawings of the characters and just sigh at how it could have been, the drawings are just so beautiful (see here and here and here).  Anyway, I could go on, but there you go.
• I still think it should just have been called Rapunzel.  I know the reasons they changed the title (a few times actually), or the few reasons they seem to hand out, and they make sense to me, but I just don't think it was necessary.  It just doesn't seem like the Disney thing, but then again, neither did the marketing campaign, which, I should say, according to box office reports, seems to have worked.
• It made me the slightest bit sad to see the Disney movie I've been dreaming of working on for over a decade made without me (yes, I have character sketches of Rapunzel from 9th grade), but at least it was made, you know?

So yeah, I had some minor issues with it, but I just can't not like it, it's just too much of everything I love about Disney movies.  It wasn't directed by Glen Keane, as had originally been announced, but his influence was quite evident in the character design and general look of the movie.  Overall, I really liked it, but it just didn't make me feel like The Princess and the Frog did.  (I still cry when I watch that movie, and this one did get me a little emotional, but not to quite the same level.)  I do get a tad defensive when people say things like "the first classic Disney film in years!" or "FINALLY a Disney princess movie!", because, HELLO, there was one barely one year ago!  And it was classic in a couple of ways that Tangled never could be.  That was the one that really needed the box office attention, which, sadly, it didn't seem to get.  I believe Disney will on occasion go back to their roots, since I really think both 2D and 3D animation can co-exist in life, but at least 3D films are getting better and not relying so much on the gimmick of the shiny look and feel.  And anyway, Tangled was a sight better than Disney's previous computer-animated films (don't get me started on Chicken Little...), and I'm glad to see it doing well.

As a sidenote, one of my friends from school worked on it, and I was inordinately excited to see the name of someone I know personally in the credits for a Disney movie.  He has achieved one of my life goals, now I hope to one day do likewise.

I highly recommend it, but REALLY people, if you haven't seen The Princess and the Frog yet, PLEASE do.  I have it on DVD and even Blu-Ray if you need to borrow it.

Worst Movie Ever?

I have a lot of news to post about this awesome past week, but let me get this out of the way.

I finally have an informed opinion...

Could it be the worst movie ever? There are SO many things wrong with this film, I don't even know where to start. That script! That acting! That direction! Those bad cameos and inside jokes! What ever were they thinking? *sigh* It was even worse than I had anticipated. Once or twice it seemed like they were trying to actually make these bland, one-dimensional drips into interesting characters, but you can only do so much when the source material is so rubbish to begin with. So many times my jaw just dropped and my eyes were wide at the artlessness of it all. And I know there's a lot of bad cinema out there, but what concerns me is the hype and undeserved attention this particular franchise is getting. Even the demographic of swooning fangirls must have some sense of good artistic taste! Here's hoping that New Moon will flop miserably before the dismal final two stories ever are transferred to screen.

The company was good, though, and honestly, that's the only thing that could possibly have persuaded me to watch it, although my morbid sense of curiosity would have to have been satisfied eventually. I'm still a little embarrassed that I even saw it, but I guess it's now or never, I sort of thought to myself. Turns out never would actually have been better.

And no, it wasn't even worth it for any possible LOLz it could have provided. Sad story.

Allow me to present a dissenting opinion...

Recently a friend told me that I have interesting and "unpredictable" taste in movies. (You can gauge your ratings with those of the movies listed on the right to see if you agree.) I decided to take this, as I'm pretty sure it was intended, as a compliment. I don't usually watch movies JUST to be entertained, although that is an important factor. I'm more interested in being moved and even learning something. The movies that mean the most to me are the ones which taught me something about myself or the world, my faith or life. I'm not ultra-easily swayed by popular opinions or reviews, although I generally do take certain elements of them into account either before or after watching a movie. I take what I hear, good and bad, and apply it to what I've seen, and see if I agree. I guess everyone does that, but for some reason, I guess I've incited indignation in some people because of my sometimes unusual movie opinions (heaven forbid I call out the more ridiculous aspects of, say, Pirates of the Caribbean or Spider-Man 3!). I guess I feel like I have a somewhat informed and educated opinion when it comes to film, having studied it quite a bit at school. When I was in my last BYU ward, I would occasionally send out a movie review on the mailing list when I was particularly moved by a movie, one way or the other, and even if people didn't agree, they seemed to appreciate reading a well-thought out review by someone they actually knew, rather than a faceless byline in the paper. So, continuing in this tradition, after hearing countless (and I do mean countless) glowing reviews of the latest Batman installment, I decided it's time to offer a differing opinion...

I didn't really like it. I didn't hate it, and it was 100X better than the hopelessly villain-confused Batman Begins, but I did feel like it was a three-hour headache, and afterward wanted to just close my eyes for a long time and let them rest and recoup from the grimy, yellow-tinted barragement of discomfort that had just impaled itself upon them. I think one of the main issues is that I don't like Christian Bale. He's okay as Bruce Wayne (that character is relatively bland and wooden in general, so Bale had no trouble with that aspect), but every time he spoke as Batman, I couldn't help but laugh. Why, OH WHY does he have to do that voice??? He walks in and says something totally nonchalant and casual, but sounds like The Thing from the Black Lagoon or something. I don't know how they or anyone else could take it seriously. And yes, he does have a slight lisp. Pay attention next time you see him on screen... Heath Ledger, in his much-lauded final role as the Joker was believable and well-acted compared to most movie villains, but (dare I contradict the masses??) fairly one-dimensional as a character. He had one mode: insane. He played it well, but there was little to no conflict to his character. The best villains in movies are the ones with at least a little humanity and a little internal struggle. And I do suspect his popularity in reviews may have at least a LITTLE to do with the recent unfortunate events surrounding Mr. Ledger. If he wins a post-humous Oscar, I will probably suspect current-event-political sway. I did rather like the Harvey Dent storyline, although his character also somewhat one-dimensional, and Maggie Gyllenhaal was a distracting replacement as Rachel. I do generally like superhero movies, indeed the X-Men and (first two) Spider-Man films are among my very favorites, and I am completely ready to suspend disbelief to enjoy a little bit of escapist action drama, but this didn't do it for me. The script wasn't all there, there were some attempted moral themes that didn't quite seem to arrive (though heaven knows they tried), and some of the casting was questionable. There are those who are easily entertained by the cookie-cutter big-name summer blockbuster offerings, but I guess it takes a little more to impress me. Which makes me wonder, what IS the film I've found most enjoyable this summer so far?...

There... Just had to get that off my chest. All of the saccharine reviews that kept popping up were giving me a toothache.

While I'm offering up completely unsolicited movie reviews, yesterday I watched the legendarily-out of print Song of the South, as well as the relatively new film starring those oddly ubiquitous penguins, Happy Feet. If you ask me, they banned the wrong film. Song of the South was slow at times, and not an entirely solid film in many ways, but in theme and methods of morality, it was far less offensive than the gag-inducing, shamelessly political-correctness-drenched Happy Feet.

WOW...

I mean... WOW! We just returned from watching the latest of the Chronicles of Narnia, and I just couldn't let another second pass before telling SOMEONE how amazing it was! I mean, really, why don't people make more movies like these?? Action, suspense, drama, romance, epic battles, innocence, goodness, and of course the symbolism /themes /message... It could be because there just aren't writers who are writing this kind of stuff anymore. Oh, C.S., how do we get along without you? In the days when even contemporary children's book series aren't safe from being tainted by the corruption and agendas of the world?? There were so many returning faces (some less welcome than others...) and a lot of new and interesting characters. The kids were great, growing so nicely into their roles, and Caspian himself was fantastic.

I am so glad that these movies are being made when they are. Even ten years ago the production quality would have just been totally substandard. Now they are just what they need to be (allegorical elements gloriously intact). I think C.S. would be very pleased indeed to know his movies are being treated with such elegance and respect. It's great how they manage to stay close to the source material but still branch off just enough to keep the battles and sidestories interesting.

See it. The astonishing series picks up right where it left off, and grips you until the end. And, it leads very much into the forthcoming The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. WOOT!