We’ve had werewolves for awhile, but now with the introduction of a truly dangerous one, as well as a seemingly-random vampire, all we need is a solid zombie character to achieve the ultimate trifecta. It’s interesting that so many fantasy stories feel okay double-dipping, using two or more supernatural beings at a time. The implication is that if one of these creatures can exist, they all can exist. Once you open that can of worms…

But before we get into that, let’s talk politics first.

I liked Rufus Scrimgeour up until this point. I liked him for the same reason I liked John Kerry in the 2004 election – Kerry wasn’t Bush and Scrimgeour isn’t Fudge. But that’s pretty much out the window at this point. To step outside the story and talk style for a moment, I appreciate how unfortunately realistic J.K. has made the Ministry of Magic. There’s corruption, but it’s not unreasonable corruption. It’s the believable kind. Of course the Minister of Magic who swept everything under the rug would be replaced by the Minister who would do anything to appear as though he was doing something. I want to strike a Clinton/Bush comparison here, but maybe it’s a little too easy to compare any leader who wrongfully arrests and detains his citizens to Bush. It’s just so obvious.

Wow! My political leanings are coming on strong this entry. Anyhoo…

The fact that Umbridge is still employed speaks volumes for J.K.’s awareness of how real politics work. Not everyone is corrupt. Not everyone is wrong. And not everyone’s intentions are bad. But shit happens, nonetheless. That can be said for any line of work or any institution. Still, I’m not sure why Umbridge is so protected. Fudge liked her, but Scrimgeour doesn’t have any obvious affinity. The only thing I can think of is that she knows too much to be safely shown the door.

That’s my feeling on it, anyway.

But to go back to the first point of this entry, now we have an evil werewolf. I’m not sure what to make of that. I love Lupin and seriously enjoy when he’s on the page, but I’m not a big fan of werewolves as characters. I’m a zombie person, myself. And I’m sincerely hoping we don’t dwell too much on Greyback. Maybe if he got as much story time as the giants, that’d be okay. Not as much as Grawp - that’d be a lot – but say, as much as the giant tribe. That would be enough to explain away any future occurences that are the result of the werewolves.

I’m a bit more interested in the vampire Slughorn brought to his party, but I get the impression he was there just for the sake of being there. His presence was comical, with the ever-so-casual move toward the girls and Slughorn telling him to stay, like a well-trained dog. Funny! So that alone tells me that vampires are probably not going to be a huge deal in the rest of this series.

And before I go, a quick note on the love story (since I really haven’t said much since I rallied against it a few entries ago).

Alright, J.K. – you won me over with the teenage wizard love triangle. Alright! My change of heart started with Hermione taking Cormac McLaggen to Slughorn’s party just to annoy the ever living crap out of Ron. I gave a quick “You go girl” fist pump in the air for that one. Granted, I’m pretty much behind anything Hermione does (save for knit hats for elves), so don’t put too much stock in this. I just think it’s fabulous that she is painted as this nerdy goody-two-shoes know-it-all (so many hyphens!), but she keeps scoring these gorgeous guys. In what universe does that happen? Yes, in a story where people are wizards, I’m questioning the logic of the nerdy girl getting the attractive sporty guys. Stay with me.

In all honesty, though, I wasn’t completely sold on the love story until Harry briefly thought to himself that with all the things he was dreaming about Ginny, he was glad Ron couldn’t do Legilimency. Okay, yes. That’s really funny! While I appreciate how realistic J.K. has made the politics in this series, I adore how she can manipulate the realities of the wizarding world to convey universal truths about growing up. No teenager is worried about his best friend actually reading his mind, but hell, if that was a possibility, this would be a legitimate concern. I enjoy how a supernatural world has been created, and then how the story is completely able to use this world to unfold. You can tell a lot of outlining took place.

Wait. Thought. Are the Inferi zombie-like? (Don’t answer that)

While this may be a coming-of-age story about a young boy’s journey into manhood (or in this case, a young wizard’s journey into the only thing that can save civilization as we know it), there’s plenty of love for the Harry Potter ladies. When asked who is your favorite Potter female, you responded as follows:

39% of you rightfully chose Hermione Granger as your very favorite Harry Potter lady. I couldn’t agree more. Good choice. Well done! How does it feel to be right?

Of course, as a nerdy overachiever, I may be just the slightest bit bias…

Also not surprisingly, 19% picked Minerva McGonagall, whose praises I sung (and you sung back) back in September. If I had to pick a stern, but caring professor, she’d be my personal choice. One need only refer to how she put down Umbridge to find out why she is one of the best women in the series.

Coming in at 17% is Luna Lovegood. She’s not my very favorite character in the series, but I can see why she earned the votes. There’s something appealing about a quirky girl who doesn’t give a flying f what people think of her. It’s refreshing. Plus, she has a lion hat.

Tied with 8% are mother and daughter pair, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. I’ve always adored Mrs. Weasley (especially in the fifth book), but it’s only recently that Ginny has developed into someone honestly worth following. She has become quite the little pistol. Her interactions with Ron are fantastic. But then again, I guess if you’re the youngest girl of many many boys, you learn to take care of yourself.

At 6% is Nymphadora Tonks, who remains a very mysterious character, as far as I’m concerned. Why is she always exactly where she needs to be? She raises a lot of questions, but this 6% vote makes me think that the answers are coming eventually.

At a surprising 3% (which actually only amounts to 1 vote) is Bellatrix Lestrange. I wouldn’t call her my favorite character, but she is a fantastic foil, isn’t she?

Pulling no votes at all: Lily Potter (because it’s hard to be everyone’s favorite when you spend the entire series dead) and Sybill Trelawney (because…well…she makes Luna seem well-adjusted).

And now for the obvious follow-up poll: Who is your favorite male character in Harry Potter? Note: Harry Potter is not an option. Too easy!

Vote in the sidebar. Enjoy!

Chapter 13: Evidently ALSO Part of the Great Re-read

I was a few pages into Chapter 13 before I realized I’d read all this before. So one more chapter of review before the “new stuff”…

Never trust a pale child

Children are creepy. Not all children, of course. Obviously. But if you have a disturbed character as an adult and as a child, I can promise you the child will be entirely more unsettling. There’s something about the juxtaposition of innocence and evil that makes bad kids so captivating, and mini-Voldemort is no exception. Kid’s a creeper! Did you see the movie? I saw the movie. We all saw the movie. And not to credit the movie with much (that’s another story for another entry), but the kid…is a creeper, even in the film, definitely more in the book. And there is no attempt to hide that fact. None at all.

Anyone remember the movie “The Good Son”? Mini-Voldey has massive traces of whatever character Macaulay Culkin played in that film. He’s essentially Damien, let’s face it.

Is it safe to say that I’m a little disappointed in how obviously evil this kid is (was)? I think a super sweet young Voldemort would be way more interesting, if only because his descent into darkness would be that-much-more unnerving. If he could turn evil, couldn’t anyone? But so far, all the evil (or potentially evil) characters in the series have been pretty obvious in their affinity for the darker things in life. Save for Tom Riddle’s charismatic appearance in that diary waaaaaaay back (ages and ages ago), there haven’t been any super sweet, amazingly lovely, downright fabulous folks who turned out to be evil. At least not yet (unless I’m missing someone). And it’s a bit disappointing.
 

Chapter 14: Kind of Feels Like an Episode of Degrassi, Minus the Canadian Accents

Note: If the ladies I know had the ability to do magic in college, there would have been a lot of guys pecked to death by little birds.

Your best friend is going to have to face a dark lord to the death. How do you have time for an angsty teen love triangle? Can someone please explain this to me?

This chapter introduced absolutely nothing I didn’t already know, save for perhaps Draco’s failure to turn up for the Quidditch match (I’m not entirely sure how this played out in the film). But Harry psyching out Ron with the luck potion and Lavender Brown sucking Ron’s face off, much to the dismay of a devastated Hermione, was all verbatim from the film. It seems that where the movie left out massive plot points and huge elements of the main story, it did not leave an ounce of the love story to the imagination. And I’ve already explained how little I care about who’s hooking up with who. I want to know what a damn horcrux is!

But in the meantime, Harry likes Ginny and Ron likes Hermione, but he’ll continue making out with Lavender and Hermione will continue pouting over it. And I still don’t know why Tonks is appearing all over this book, seemingly arriving out of nowhere – or whether or not Snape is actually evil – or what happened to Dumbledore’s hand – or where the hell this whole thing is going…

…or how to launch attack birds at guys who piss me off.

These things are important and I hope I figure a few of them out soon. Well, at least the bird thing.

And finally, the re-read of Chapter 12.

Draco didn’t send the necklace. I’m pretty certain of that. But the fact that I don’t remember who did is sort of bothering me. I saw the film. This leaves me thinking that either A) I have the world’s shottiest memory or B) They don’t cover it in the film. Someone sending cursed necklaces (or cursed booze – yes, I know that is coming) throughout the entire film seems like an odd element to not wrap up in some way, so I’m leaning toward my shotty memory. Again, with nothing to base the films on, it was easy to miss (or forget) whole chunks of them. That’s just how it goes.

My memory isn’t completely to hell, though, because I’m finding it delightfully amusing to see certain plot aspects I know are coming in their earlier stages. The Harry/Ginny situation is pretty obvious, even if you aren’t sure where this sucker is going. The Ron/Hermione thing is also pretty blatant. But as I said before, I care “this much” (read: very little) about the teen wizard love story.

Here, let me sum it up for you: “Oh my god, you are so annoying!” “No, you’re annoying.” “No, you are!” “Wait, I think I like you, but I can’t tell you.” “Yeah, we’ll I’m going to deny I like you, too, just to make things complicated.” “Fine!” “Fiiiiine…” “Okay, let’s makeout.” “You are so wonderful.” “No, YOU are so wonderful.” “Hold up. Why are you looking at so-and-so.” “What are you talking about?” “You don’t love me anymore.” “Well…you’re…a jerk!” “Oh yeah?” “Yeah!” “Fine!” “Fiiiiiine…” “I hate you.” “I hate you more.” “I hate you the most.” “Okay, now I miss you.” “I miss you, too.” “Let’s makeout.” “Okay.”

There! I’ve saved you a whole bunch of time. You can thank me later.

Whelp, folks – we are officially all caught up. I’m not going to say this second pass through the first half of Book 6 provided any greater insight than the first, but I think the whole thing will make a lot more sense than had I just tried to jump back into it. Do I know where it’s going? Um…Snape kills Dumbledore. Yeah, that’s about it. Oh yeah, and something about horcruxes (whatever the hell those are). At some point or another, Dumbledore and Harry end up in this lake-thing doing…stuff…surrounded by creatures in the water, while Harry forces Dumbledore to drink something-or-another for some reason I don’t really understand. And after that’s over, stuff happens. Then more stuff happens…

I pretty much have it all figured out. Obviously.

Watch this hilarious rap battle between The Chosen One, and He who must not be named with some amazing special effects! Also, if you really enjoy the rap and would like to download the mp3, now, you can! Just click right here.

Harry Potter: Ultimate Emo Boy!

(Warner Brothers) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, Timothy Spall, Ralph Fiennes, David Thewlis. Directed by David Yates

Being a teenager is hard enough without additional burdens. There’s the rampaging flood of hormones that makes a life-or-death situation of any emotional trauma. There’s the constant war between childish comforts and the call of growing up. Throw on top of that the responsibility of being The Chosen One and well, it sucks to be Harry Potter.

After the fallout of the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry (Radcliffe) has become a bit of a celebrity. The tabloids have gone so far as to wonder out loud if he isn’t The Chosen One, the wizard meant to end the threat of Valdemort (Fiennes) once and for all. For Valdemort’s part, his Deatheaters are no longer acting covertly but openly causing damage in both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds.

Dumbledore (Gambon) is increasingly spending time with Harry, preparing him for the battle to come. He takes young Harry on a mission to find Horace Slughorn (Broadbent), a bon vivant and former Potions teacher at Hogwarts. The idea is not just to offer him a job, but to bring him close to Dumbledore. Slughorn has a memory of young Tom Riddle (Frank Dillane) that may prove to be crucial in defeating the Dark Lord once and for all, but it is a memory that Slughorn is reluctant to pass on; you see, the contents of that memory may also ruin Slughorn forever.

In the meantime, Harry and his friends Hermione (Watson) and Ron (Grint) are struggling with the adolescent hormones big time. Ron is the target of Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave), while Hermione has her eye on Dean Thomas (Alfie Enoch) and Harry himself has come under the scrutiny of Ron’s sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright). Things can be very tangled up at that age.

In the meantime, the Dark Lord has an infiltrator at Hogwarts – Draco Malfoy (Felton). He is being protected by Professor Snape (Rickman), the former Deatheater who has been pressed into service by Draco’s mother Narcissa (Helen McCrory) and the evil Bellatrix Lestrange (Bonham Carter). What Malfoy’s mission is – and what he is doing with the cabinet in the Room of Requirement – is also central to Harry’s fate and the fate of the Wizarding world.

This is a much darker Potter than any of the other films in the franchise, and you definitely get a sense that the confrontation that has been building since the first movie is almost upon us. While the Wizarding world intrudes on our own world much more in this movie (London’s famed Millennium Bridge is destroyed in a fit of spite by the Deatheaters), the movie is Hogwarts-centric. However, you get less of a sense of it as a school as much as you do of the place of it. Harry is not attending classes so much as brooding in the hallways. We see much more of the social interactions between the students than we do instructions in the art of magic, and that’s a good thing.

Radcliffe, Watson and Grint have turned out to be solid, first-class actors who hold their own with world class talents like Rickman and Smith. Wright has also turned out nicely, making the romance between Ginny and Harry one of the sweetest things in the movie and nicely authentic. Watching Ron and Hermione turn towards each other is much more like watching your sister kiss your brother.

The effects are magnificent and the story is compelling. So why didn’t I like this movie more? Much of the middle part of the movie seems directly aimed at pleasing the legions of Potter obsessives who demand that the books be faithfully followed to a literal “T”. Characters literally make cameo appearances – Wormtail (Spall) appears merely to open a door without saying a word, then disappear from the film entirely. That kind of thing proves to be distracting.

The craft that went into the making of this movie is extraordinary. Kudos must go to the special effects and art direction crews; this is a world that is well-lived in and fleshed out and much of the credit must go to J.K. Rowling. She has created a world so detailed in her books that the movie crews have a great template to work with. The sequence in the underground cavern in which Dumbledore displays some of the powerful magic he is capable of is extremely well-done, edge-of-your-seat kind of stuff, spectacle at its finest.

This is a solidly made movie that while not up to the standards of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, is still certainly worth seeing. I suspect that you will probably like it more than I did – for some reason, it didn’t draw me in the way other Potter movies have. Perhaps it is the dark, foreboding tone of the movie that makes the Wizarding world much less attractive to be in, unlike the first movies when it was a delightful place.

If there is light, then there must also be its absence as well, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince peers into that aspect firmly. This is not meant to be a movie for small children, but a movie for putting aside childish things. Harry Potter is growing up, and perhaps I’m not ready for that but as with all children, they grow up whether we want them to or not.

REASONS TO GO: Spectacular special effects sequences and art direction make this a feast for the eyes. Well-acted and the romance between Ginny and Harry is extremely sweet and believable. Michael Gambon does some of his finest work of his career.

REASONS TO STAY: The tone is exceedingly dark and foreboding. There is a lot of unnecessary business that while pandering to the Potter extremists, proves to be distracting to the rest of us.

FAMILY VALUES: There are many frightening images and incidents that may be too intense for smaller children.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Author J.K. Rowling makes a cameo appearance as the subject on the cover of a gardening magazine that Dumbledore picks up in Slughorn’s flat.

NOTABLE DVD FEATURES: The documentary J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life (which aired on U.S. cable) depicts the last year of the writing of the final book in the Harry Potter series during which the author revisits her past; there is also a series of “One Minute Drills” in which the cast are given sixty seconds to describe their character’s history, personality and other personal details  before time runs out. Finally, there is a sneak peak of the “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure theme park opening in the Spring of 2010 in Orlando, Florida.

FINAL RATING: 7/10

TOMORROW: Armored

Now, I know you’re not going to believe this, but…sometimes I’m a know-it-all pompous buttocks.

Yeah, it’s a stretch to imagine that. Really.

Sometimes, in the face of ridiculous ignorance, I run into a telephone booth, rip off my International Jewel Thief catsuit, don my wizard robes, and emerge as…

Hermione Granger.

I can’t help it. When people spout off hokum, what’s a librarian going to do?

For example, last week, I’m talking to somebody and the subject of magical realism comes up. Somebody mentions somebody else would probably like a certain middle grade magician story because this someone is a fan of  “magical realism.”

Ahem. Cough, Cough.

I pull a sorting hat (sans rabbit) out of my…(well, you don’t need a visual, do you?) and suddenly a torrent of Hermione speak is pouring from my lips.

“Well, that’s not really what she meant. Magical realism isn’t really about magic tricks or just stories with magical elements, like…erm, Harry Potter. Think Isabel Allende or Gabriel Garcia Marquez . Magic realism refers to a literary style when ordinary circumstances become transcendent through…”

His eyes glaze over.

“Oh, just go read Love in the Time of Cholera.”

He squints. I cannot tell whether he is angry, resentful, or confused.

“Never mind. Sounds like a great idea.”

He shuffles away, repelled by my high falutin’ airs.

And Hermione evaporates;  her spirit banished until feeble-minded assertions summon her again.

Or until someone sends me a forwarded e-mail about Nokia giving away free laptops.

Now if I could just get Hermione to show up when I really need her; like when I’m looking for the right exit for Northpark mall, or I’m trying to learn the rules to @ALeeMartinez ’s new board game.

Dear ones, is it just me? Do you ever get a little overzealous when speaking out? Have you ever been thrown out of Starbucks for chastising the Barista about the origin of “Venti”? (Never mind–Forget I asked).

Still hungry?

If you’re looking for a great article on Magical Realism, check this one out.

If you’re looking for a great recipe for Hermione’s Humble Pie,  look no further. It’s easy, and is made from the humblest of ingredients.

Hermione’s Humble Pie

1 9-inch (unbaked) pie shell

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup reg. milk w/ 1 Tbsp. lemon juice added)

1 stick butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

nutmeg

Beat the eggs. Add the flour and sugar. Add, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Pour into pie shell and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake for forty five more minutes. Cool to taste. Refrigerate leftovers (if there are any).

Binge!

Albus!

Tomorrow Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince, the most disappointing of the films so far, comes out on DVD. I still want it. Harry Potter has been and always will be my favorite series of books, and I’m not afraid to admit it or show it off. Also, I’m convinced that a magical land actually exists and that I just never made the cut. Maybe I’m actually Hermione Granger, my adoptive parents just haven’t told me yet. Oh how I wish I were Hermione.

Henceforth, for the December 7th post of my month of happiness, I have chosen Harry Potter. Because in times of sorrow or trouble, Harry Potter has always been my escape, and offers me comfort when comfort is most needed.

Highly recommended

Proof that myself and Harry Potter are made for each other is my chance stumbling upon the Elephant Cafe in Scotland when vacationing in Edinburgh a few summers ago. Just as my mother brought up the idea of stopping somewhere for dinner, a red facade caught my eye. The Elephant House-that seemed interesting. Then I noticed a sign placed in the lower right window which read “The Birthplace of Harry Potter.” There was no argument; we had to eat there. I had a delicious meat lasagna and coffee with a view of Edinburgh Castle and walls of newspaper clippings about J.K. Rowling, all of which I read. The humble cafe was painted with a rich crimson and had shelves lined with miniature elephant statues. It was adorable and I wish someday to return and pen my own novel there.

But that’s not my only Harry memory, nor is it the happiest one. I have many others that I could list, but instead I’m going to go read me some Harry Potter-possibly The Goblet of Fire. I need some serious Sirius lovin’ right now.

R.I.P., I miss you so

It is rumored that in the final duel between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, gloves aren’t the only things coming off.

According to Metro.co.uk, director David Yates has said “very sexy” images of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) being intimate will appear during a battle sequence in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

“There are a couple of scenes in the new film in which he will undress, but we’re still thinking about how we present it,” said Yates. “There is another scene in King’s Cross station, where Harry…will also be naked”

The Harry/Hermione romance is said to be part of a magical sequence that appear as Harry Potter and his friend Ron fight a Horcrux. The monster escapes, leaving behind a ghost that creates the images to distract Ron.

Meanwhile Daniel Radcliffe and his representatives are denying the reports, saying Italian magazine Sorrisi e Canzoni fabricated the interview.

Gossip Cop says “we can guarantee is that filmmakers plan to ‘present’ any scenes of Radcliffe in a way no different than any other ‘PG’ fare. Audiences may see the actor in various states of undress, but claims he’ll ‘bare all’… aren’t true.”

Dear Internet,

What do you mean, “if”?

Cordially,
Professor Coldheart

So, this month has started with curious things, and the one I’m posting is probably one of the most interesting ones, and one of the most expected. Let’s see what is it…

Yes ladies and gentlemen, here there is a Sneak Peak of the first (we can call it like that ¬¬) teaser trailer of the high-anticipated Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows film!!! This preview is included in the DVD/Blue-Ray Special Edition of the sixth movie and I have to say that, although it only lasts 30 seconds, it really shows a lot of what’s coming in the film.

For all you fans of Harry Potter (like me) who have followed the saga since the very beginning, this will represent an amazing Christmas gift. Shell Cottage is included, as well as Griphook and Ollivander appearances, and we can hear things about the Deathly Hallows. There are also two little interviews with the producer David Heyman, and the director David Yates. Just by watching this, I’m absolutely sure it will be an amazing experience the day I sit in fron a big cinema screen waiting for the logo to appear.

So… for all you desperated ones, calm down! Here’s the link to see this preview:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/check-out-the-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-sneak-peek-trailer

Check it out and enjoy!!! I’m sure this will be the beginning of a big amount of Harry Potter for the next two years!!! I give you another image from THE trio, and feel free to comment! See you all!

The Ninth Chapter (in review)

Snape is the Half-Blood Prince (thanks, Hollywood). Moving squarely along…

I want to take a hot second to focus on Lavender Brown and the Amortentia potion.

First off, Lavender Brown is one of those names you read, think “Okay, sure”, keep reading, and then suddenly go “Wait…are both her names colors?!?” I reiterate my statement from back in July: please don’t grow up to name your children after the Harry Potter characters, or in the same style as the Harry Potter characters. I envision litters of Amber Whites and Violet Greens running around. Remember: your offspring are people, not Crayola crayons.

Are we supposed to like Lavender Brown? I know where this leg of the story is going and as a huge Hermione fan, I instantly dislike Lavender more than most people dislike Draco. Maybe this is because I can completely relate with the scorned woman, but find it a wee bit more challenging to relate with an angsty teen’s inner rage over whether or not to murder his headmaster. Go figure!

I just don’t like Lavender. And I wasn’t too keen on the actress playing her, either. She did a fine job, don’t get me wrong. I just didn’t like her, probably because I don’t like who she portrayed. Or maybe I just didn’t care for the story to take a lovey-dovey teen romance twist. I know how teen love stories go. I’m here for the wizards!

But the characters are sixteen, which means we’re deeply imbedded in love story land. And so I draw your attention to the Amortentia potion. Name 3 things teens should not have access to. Is “a love potion” somewhere on that list? Cause it SHOULD be! What would have made high school even more complicated? If the students had the ability to create (or use) love potions on each other. (Granted, a mass murdering wizard trying to kill everyone would have also added a level of stress to high school).

But then again, in college we had access to a very potent love potion. We called it vodka.

What Is It?

The 4th installment of the super popular series about an average boy, growing into teen and adult hood while attending a boarding school for “witches.” The series seems to hook you with the fantasy aspects and keep you with the true to life coming of age stories. Here, we are back at Hogwarts School and the Tri-Wizard tournament will pit one wizard from England against one from Russia and one from France. Some how the Goblet has selected an extra name, and it is….

How was it?

If you have been enjoying the series so far, you will not be disappointed. This one is older and darker, and is still progressing. The effects are better (Particularly the transformations as compared to the Werewolf from the last film.) I loved the scene where the dragon crawls across roofs like a bat scraping across a brick wall.

They still have their “Live action cartoon” feel, and include long dialog to explain all the new rules for the world so that some of this makes sense.

Still, I’m about sick of, after 3 years in this world, Harry still being surprised by things being “odd”. Though more than that, it’s sad that such interesting and potentially complex characters as Snape and professor McGonagall populate this world, but instead of digging deeper, they just introduce new characters to skitter across the screen and disappear into cameo obscurity.

(Can we please just keep one “Defense Against the Dark Arts” teacher for more then one film?)

Hey, anyone for a quick game of “Name that Tolkien Influence”?

SPOILER – I have thought it cheesy that in the last three, everything was constantly life threatening and no one died…. Good job

Is It Good for Kids?

There are potential nightmares lurking through the graveyard of this film. The Death Eaters are mild, compared to the (Spoiler) re-birth of the noseless Voldermort.

Though more than this, is the sudden burst of sexuality in this film. We get a point of view shot of Ron checking out the back ends of several French witches. Later he comments on the fact that he usually only looks at them and only from behind. We get Hermony in a low cut dress, and Harry taking a bath, while a teen age girl ghost watches him, and comments on bubbles disipating for a better view. She later cuddles up with Harry in the tub, though he doesn’t seem interested.

Yes, as kids get into their teen years, they are going to start to notice girls and be curious. It would just be nice if we could see this delt with without giving acceptance to checking people out like they are meat, or putting the characters into sketchy situations (like the tub).

You can find out more about what’s on the screen from Screenit.com

What About Spirtual Themes?

The big hub-bub about Harry, in the “Holy Huddles”, has been the use of witchcraft. Yes, the Bible condems it. Yes, it is flaunted in these books and movies and the only people who think poorly about witchcraft are given a horrid sounding name, and are charactures of unthinking hatred, fitting of a Roald Dahl book. The magic here is from an undetermined source. (This differs from “Lord of the Rings” where all power is attributed to either the Author of Evil, or the Creator and Ruler of Good.) Yes, the last movie included a “spell” that kids could “perform” to better their lives (Ridiculos). Yes, this uses the term witch, and yes, this could cause a child to look into or stumble upon the fastest growing religion in American High Schools. But that is not the point of these stories.

That said, the craft here is all very much educated by years of cartoons and comics. The magic is often arbitrary. (Kids can make a student cough up slugs, but can’t make Ron’s “Dress Robes” stylish.) Magic is not the point of these stories.

There is a kid here, who is in fact, growing up infront of us. He is going through the same struggles of bullies and girls and friendship and akward ages that we have all or will all face. It his how he deals with teachers, rules and homework that provides the true messages and meanings of Harry Potter. Though there may be plenty to be worried about in the past three movies (See my combined review of the first three) this one is free of the concerning morals that plague it’s predicessors. Infact, the only major moral concern I see here, is the objectifying of boys and girls.

Here Harry is shown as self sacrificing, friendship is preserved (maybe to the extent that it is putting forth an existential philosophy, but not overtly.) And growing up is about change.

Your Recommendation?

If your children are into the Harry Potter Series, like anything else, talk to them about it. Talk to them about what they liked and didn’t, as well as, the choices made by characters and our choices in our world.

If they are not, though this may be the “safest” of the series, it is a series and I don’t think we can deal with it as a seperate componant. Yes, the poor moral choices that plague the other films (and the two books of the series that I have read) were not present here. But there was not a turning away of those choices either, and I think we can expect more of it in the future.

Furthermore, unless you are very “into” the characters, the movies will probably lag for you.

If you or your children are just itching for fantasy children’s entertainment that can thrill adults as well, pick up the book “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” and get ready for a worth while, “Is it as good as the book?” debate.

Yesterday, while some of us were making it our mission to speak out against the most recent developments in the robot apocalypse, the internet was getting its first taste of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, which isn’t coming out ’til next November (which is like infinity in Harry-Potter-anticipation, but even more tediously long), so really, we’ll take whatever we can get:

Obviously the only thing this actually confirms about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I is that wizards appear to prefer layering in threes, while Muggles–such as the one to the left*–prefer the more minimalist two-layer approach.  Also, seeing as they’re in some sort of indoor complex that houses a cinema, my guess is that they’re in a mall.  Given that I remember Harry and Ron and Hermione spending plenty of time in a forest but none in any malls, I’m glad to know that David Yates and his crew are to keeping things fresh for the fans.  And by “fresh,” I mean possible shopping montage.  

Oh, and let’s not forget this tantalizing tidbit that ComingSoon.net reported along with the picture:

Video Business also talked to Yates, who confirmed that Daniel Radcliffe will appear naked at one point during the last two movies.

In one scene, “a horcrux [carrying a piece of Voldemort's soul] defends itself by producing nightmarish visions, and one shows Hermione and Harry embracing and kissing,” explained Yates. “It’s something intriguing and sensual for Rupert to react to, and Dan will be bare for that.”

SOLD.

*Not to be too random, but I’m glad this Muggle’s making the bold choice of combining lime green with pink.  I’ve been a fan of this combination for years, and it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who enjoys being confused with an Easter egg.

part i