(no subject)

[green_queen]

Review of Wild Target

Before I saw this I read a review that said that Rupert Grint was the worst part. That person needs their head checked. It felt like about four movies glued together in strange parts, with an uneasy mix of the sweet and the disturbing. There were brilliant moments, but it lost its momentum completely about halfway through. The result is one of the strangest films I've seen in a while. Everybody's trying to make it a good time, but it doesn't quite work - and that last scene sits most uncomfortably of all. It's like they tried for black comedy but made it sort of a darkish brown instead - murky and confusing.

Also, UNF RUPERT GRINT. WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN.

2.5 out of 5

Spoilertastic review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

AT THE END OF THIS MOVIE I ACTUALLY POINTED MY IMAGINARY WAND AT THE SCREEN AND SAID "ACCIO JULY". IT DIDN'T COME, FOR SOME REASON.

OMG. I don't think I can fully do justice to how I felt about this movie in a review. I'm too removed from Friday, when I saw it, and yet not removed enough. I think I need to see it a few more times to really pick apart my feelings about it. I can say without a doubt that it is my favourite Harry Potter movie up until now, though. It actually seems like Kloves read the fucking book this time (which makes me even angrier about the previous ones - if they COULD do this good a job, why the hell didn't they do it earlier?) Here, have some dot-point summaries.

RUPERT FUCKING GRINT. Will get back to this at the end, because I want to talk about him the most.

Bad things:

There was a lot of exposition shoe-horned in at the beginning, further condemning the earlier movies, and there were some discrepancies that were hard to overlook. (Hey, I'm Bill Weasley, by the way I got these scars from a werewolf named Fenrir Greyback but my wife still loves me and Tonks and Lupin won't tell you they're married. Wanna come to my wedding?) (Hey, I'm Dobby, me and Harry are still tight in spite of the fact that I haven't seen him in five years!)

I want my Silver Doe hug.

It ended fairly abruptly. I mean, it was a logical conclusion, and I suppose they were never going to make it feel like a contained movie when it's a split-up book, but still, I sort of felt cheated.

Okay, now good things:

Looked amazing. Seriously, the locations were gorgeous, they made full use of what the story gave them the scope to do, and it was wonderful for someone like me to get to really SEE beautiful representations of what happens in the book.

Some perfect scenes: Bathilda Bagshot's house (terrifying), the first scene at Malfoy Manor (pitched perfectly by Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, and Jason Isaacs - and Tom Felton did well too), the fight between Ron and Harry (I was simultaneously sad at what was happening and thrilled by seeing it done SO WELL), Fred's reaction to George's ear (MY HEART!), The Seven Potters (hilarious), The Tale of the Three Brothers (THE ANIMATION. GORGEOUS. FLAWLESS. PERFECT.), Hermione leaving home (this is how you add a scene - it's not necessary, but it builds tone and shows the sacrifices everyone's making beautifully).

Breaking into the Ministry was also really good, although I thought some bits were a little unnecessary (the Polyjuice potion wearing off, for instance.)

Amazing score. Really top work.

I've mentioned it, but ACTUAL DIALOGUE FROM THE BOOKS!!!! Whole scenes that barely deviate from the books at all! Is this a Harry Potter movie we're watching here?!? They managed to make it clear enough for Muggles, but for hardcore fans it was a veritable cornucopia of detail.

I felt like almost all of the actors just upped the ante in this one - everyone was, somehow, better. Helena Bonham Carter's Bellatrix kills me - like Helen McCrory she doesn't actually look like her character, but unlike Helen McCrory she fucking OWNS the character.

RUPERT. FUCKING. GRINT. Since the promotion for this movie started my love for him has grown exponentially, and since seeing the movie my love for Ron, which I didn't think could grow more, has grown exponentially. They managed to make up for 90% of the horrible, awful treatment of Ron in the previous films with both the writing and portrayal of him in this one. He's everything Ron is - flawed, funny, good-hearted, scary, heart-breaking, loyal - and Rupert is incredible in every fucking scene. You can feel his frustration, his yearning for Hermione, his enormous heart. Also, boy is gorgeous now. I felt his loss when he was gone for a few scenes. He was the heart and soul of this movie for me.

4 out of 5







Green Queen

Comments

[havlockvetinari.livejournal.com]

Ron's hot. When did this happen?

Also: I NEED INFORMATION. There is one reason I go to see Potter movies. He's short, blonde, evil and has an awesome swordwandcane. How much is he in iiiit? Does he get to be evil? Is his wardrobe still awesome?

And I need Rupert's awesome purple suit.

[green-queen.livejournal.com]

Have you read the books?

[havlockvetinari.livejournal.com]

Yup, all of them.

[green-queen.livejournal.com]

Just checking. I'm assuming you're referring to Lucius (although I didn't realise he was short.) He's in it, and only sort of evil - he's pretty much the same as in the books, the Malfoys are kind of under house arrest and they look pretty exhausted.

[havlockvetinari.livejournal.com]

Yes! (And Isaacs is only kinda short, for a guy. He just does a lot of movies with taller people) And n'aw.

The more I hear about it the more I'm leaning towards going to see it. The big thing it has against it being that I don't like much that happened after Prisoner of Azkaban (the book).

[trishpip.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting.. most people I know who have seen the movie are staying spoiler-free for the weekend at least so I haven't been able to talk about it with fandom people. While agreeing with most you've said here, what I want to say is: Why does Kloves still ship H/H? They took out the silver doe hug and "she's like my sister", but added a dance scene which ends with awkwardness like Harry has feelings for Hermione that she doesn't return. Eh, it bothered me, that's all.

[green-queen.livejournal.com]

I think you can see the dance scene either way, and to be honest, it's so much less than in any of the other films that it hardly bothers me at all. We can't force him to stop shipping H/Hr, and at least it doesn't ruin the movie like it did HBP. I missed my hug, though.