Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1...

[fajrdrako]

This was serendipitous: we went shopping in Indigo Books in Barrhaven, and saw there was a cinema nearby, playing the new Harry Potter movie. I didn't even know it was out already.

We meant to buy hot dogs there for lunch, but maaseru bought the last hot dog in the place. So Pim and I got popcorn instead. How can a theatre run out of hot dogs? Perhaps they just didn't have their daily shipment yet. It was the first screening of the day - or perhaps the second.

As for the movie...

1. I always feel somewhat ambivalent about Harry Potter, and I'm never sure why. The world doesn't charm me, I find Harry too passive, the magic too arbitrary... Not that I dislike it in any way, but I don't get excited over it, either.
   
   
2. That being said, this was a pretty good movie. I like it better than the book by a long shot.
   
   
3. Emma Watson is beautiful, and has lovely hands.
   
   
4. Still really, really don't like either Ron Weasley or Rupert Grint. The result being I don't like the Hermione/Ron romance at all, and I'd be much happier if Hermione had ended up with Harry.
   
   
5. Great special effects, though Pim and I groaned at a few gratuitous details (like the striking snake) that seemed to be pandering to 3D.
   
   
6. I particularly liked the Lovegood house. And Rhys Ifans as Xenophilius Lovegood. I've only seen him in unattractive roles before, but here - maaseru and I liked him very much indeed.
   
   
7. My favourites (besides Lovegood) were Snape (again) and Draco Malfoy (again) and Lucius Malfoy, whose fall was fun to see. And the Weasley twins, who weren't in it nearly enough. That goes double for the book.
   
   
8. Midway through, I was considering reading Harry Potter slash again. Maybe.
   
   
9. I covet Hermione's handbag.
   
   
10. Too much camping.
    
    
11. Were those real Welsh or Scottish mountains? Or CGI?
    
    
12. When I read this book, I didn't find the plot very compelling or coherent. I liked it better in the movie, where it livened up a little, but still seemed to me to have a lot of action without purpose.
    
    
13. Dobby was less repulsive and annoying than before; I liked his heroic end.
    
    
14. I liked a lot of the props - especially Hermione's books.
    
    
15. Loved Snape walking through the gates. Loved Rickman's acting, when Snape was with the Death-Eaters.
    

After the movie, we went to CostCo for hot dogs.