I really liked the new HP movie. I still think I prefer the 3rd movie, but this move really moved. They cut out so much and I was irritated a bit that they cut down the beginning so much: The Howler to Aunt Petunia - are they going to leave ALL of that to the 6th movie? Man, that scene of Dumbledore with Petunia will take ages. And I was looking forward to the bunches of owls that arrive, but that's not to be either.

I hated the look of the dementors. Bad form. And I thought it was a bad move that they didn't have Umbridge's admission at the end.

FWIW, the other weak point: the look of Hagrid's brother. That CGI was *bad*.

Minor quibbles really. I very much enjoyed the film and I loved Luna.

Robert Altman had a dream and decided to film it.

This dream...would it be one he had after falling asleep watching Persona while high? 'Cause that would explain a LOT.

You gotta love a filmmaker who can make 2 hours of WTF so completely engaging. I mean, 90% of the movie is slow zooms into Sissy Spacek looking insane and/or bored. And yet, it's so good!

Where do you get that from in the trailer, Raq?

Well, mostly because I am tangentially aware of the whole Godzilla mythos, but it's not the first place I go, so big-giant-scary sounds and something huge seem Cthulhlian to me.

However, upon second watch, I note the Japan references, which indicate Godzilla, and if it is Cthulhu, it kind of misses the point (unless, of course, Cthulhu wakes up and it is the end of the world).

Posting from my phone to say I am at the movies! D is at home with his grandparents while E and I leave the house together for the first time in a month.

Ratatouille was sold out, so we're seeing HPOOP instead.

I got back from seeing Live Free and I really really liked it. It was just the kind of summer action movie I want to see. Nice explosions, good fight scenes, and characters that are easy on the eyes. I liked the PK stuff that was going on with one of the characters. I only had one moment where I was really thrown out of my disbelief - that was when John went off the plane and on to the ramp. Up until that point I'd been thinking - he should be hurt more! --but by the time I was thinking -- broken legs, broken ankles, road rash. But I got right back into it. My only other quibble was with Lucy, she really seemed like both her parents' and really like John's kid. When she told Gabriel let's take it outside, I really felt that she was backing that up because she had some kind of skill and not just bravado (in my head world she knows krav), but I wanted her to do a bit more to save herself. Although I realize they wanted Matt to finish his hero's journey. But I just wish that Lucy had fought a bit more.

interesting review of HP movie:

[link]

Thanks le nubian, that's an excellent, thoughtful review.

Really nails down Yates strengths as a director and Radcliffe's acting.

Also...

and the backgrounds are shadowy compared to similar scenes in Chris Columbus' early installments, which were often overlit in the manner of a mid-60s live-action Disney adventure.

Snap! But so accurate in identifying one of Columbus' main weaknesses in the early movies.

The spelling errors were a bit distracting. Especially "Lula Lovegood"

Especially "Lula Lovegood"

Particularly since the writer had it correct as Luna on the first instance.

falling asleep watching Persona while high

That's perfect.

We saw Ratatouille today, which was, as previously reported, delightful.