GoF and and the Spoiler Cut of Doom

[amanuensis1]

How about those Opening Credits? Should have called the film "Harry Potter and the Oh My God You Are So Fucked This Time Around, Kid".



Thought it was, well, to use a word I use a lot, splendid. I can't quite yet say if I liked it better than PoA; I'll need to see it again to get past the "Did they do it right, did they, huh huh huh?" that accompanies a first viewing of a beloved book and just go back and watch.

For me the last film showed how good these films can get, how viscerally they can grab you with the storytelling and not just be a parade of, "Look, it's this beloved character! And that one! And this scene, look, look how we did this scene!" PoA went beyond that and engaged me with the slickness of the storytelling, which I hadn't expected. And I thought GoF measured up to that again. For those who didn't like it: yes, something either engages you emotionally or it doesn't, and there's nothing that can be done about that to make you change your mind. Though I will say that if you were looking for something more from the books to be in this film and that's why you didn't like it overall, goodness, I can't think what would have helped you.

I thought the cast uniformly excellent. I want to spend a bit of time talking about Radcliffe, because he has to carry the film and he's a fifteen-year-old actor and I hear mixed reviews about Dan Radcliffe; that he's great or that he's not so great. Here's my take: I think the directors behind these films believe the Harry Potter stories not only need you to sympathize with the protagonist but to be the protagonist. This makes Harry into a creature who cannot have reactions that are too huge or too quirky, for fear of causing the viewer to stray. That's awfully limiting for an actor. Harry never gets to mug, or be too goofy--even when he's trying to shield his nekkid boyparts from a naughty-minded girl ghost he has to keep the reactions reigned in. Do I think, for example, that Grint has a larger range of emotions on the screen? Hell, yes. Because he's allowed to. Harry's not.

I think because this is a visual medium the films are unapologetic about using Harry's looks to further this Blank Slate Harry. Radcliffe done up as Harry is not only incredibly pretty, he's one of the effing cherubim descended to earth. Angelic and effectively androgenous with it when the make-up artists are at their most intense with him: Harry is pale of complexion and flushed at cheek and lip--hair as black as ebony, c'mon, harmonize with me here, guys. You've got the essence of innocence in Harry, something the viewer can slide into and fit over themselves without those poky itchy personality quirks bothering them much. Which makes it all the more endearing to watch Harry trying to slip free of that and just be a Real Boy, as he goes all teen in this. That's the performance they've asked of Radcliffe. 'S a bit thankless, isn't it?

So the question becomes not so much is he a strong actor, but can he carry the film in the way it is meant to be carried. Yeah, I think he does. Radcliffe's called on to do "anxious" a lot in this film and he's excellent at it; I adored watching him on the verge of puking before and during every Tournament Task. But we still have that "sense of wonder and joy" Harry that made Harry so much the Dickensian orphan in the first two films, and when that does get used it's used great. Oh, Harry, you had me at "I love magic," you really did, in this film.

What did I miss from the books? While the film was going on, I missed nothing. I mean, that's awesome, isn't it? Yes, I would have liked to have had Snape's Dark Mark and just one cut back to Harry's face in the Courtroom scene when he hears about Snape's DE history (just one shot! That's all, Newell, c'mon!), but these were only afterthoughts. I didn't miss anything house elvish, or the actual World Cup game, or the Sphinx in the maze (bloody easy riddle that, anyway) or Barty Crouch Jr. getting the Dementor's kiss or Sirius in the cave--not while I was watching the film nor did I later wish any of those had ended up in the film. They'd have f***ed up the pacing.

And the pacing was great. Two-and-half hours and not a whit of numb-butt to be had. No slow bits at all, IMHO.

The film did manage to improve something from the book for me, and that was the Dragon Task. Action sequences in books don't usually do a lot for me; I skim them to find out the outcome. Suddenly the Dragon Task was cool. Woo.

The Second Task, on the other hand, has always been my favorite in the book, and, oh, the moment when we saw R/H/C/G held hostage underwater? CREEPY AS F**K. I loved how the visuals did away with any need for exposition or inner monologue regarding Harry's fears that the hostages would be lost if they weren't all retrieved. As IF he could have left any one of them. *shudders delightedly*

The twins, oh, the twins. Best developed secondary characters in the film. You know what I loved best about that? It sets them up for their moment in OotP when they leave Hogwarts in gorgeous defiance. I so hope that's done right next film.

Neville! Do you know what they did with Neville? They made me like Ginny more. Because if BillyElliot!Neville chose her to dance with all night, she must be okay. How about that.

Voldemort: I'm dying even imagining anyone besides Ralph Fiennes in that role, now. Voldemort was man, and monster, and SEXAY as all get-out for being both. Oh, my god. No CGI creature could ever have been as wonderful.

LUCIUS. OH. Just...that...little...bit. Gave us everything. Every bit of history, of character... Lucius/Cane/Harry's Sleeve = OT3. My eyes rolled back in my head and I didn't hear another word for three minutes. &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts And the chemistry between Lucius and Voldemort was gorgeous; Wormtail can cut off his own hand for Voldemort's cause but it doesn't matter, Lucius is still Voldemort's #1 DE and no one's gonna forget it. Oh.

I loved how NOTHING WAS SPARKLY in the graveyard. The dark mark on Wormtail's arm didn't glow. The Morsmordre wasn't green and sparkly. Everything was just black on black. No pretty magic until we got to the PI.

I swore up and down that the Prefect's Bath scene would never end up in the film because it would be too giggle-worthy and just a bit racy for all those kid viewers to realize Harry's nekkid in that water. EXCUSE ME FOR BEING THE MOST NAÏVE ADULT IN THE WORLD; APPARENTLY I AM STILL LIVING IN THE LAST CENTURY. I write Harry Potter NC-17 smutfic and *I* was blushing, okay?

(Someone please get it over with right now and tell me that was a body double or major CGI touch-ups when Harry was just getting into the water in that scene. I know it's the most likely answer; break it to me now. Because my reaction to that physique was that it just emphasized the "angelic perfection and innocence" thing all over again--he was too beautiful to even drool at. Even if it was a body double that doesn't change the effect.)

I want to find someone who hasn't read the books but is seeing the films (and wasn't spoiled) to find out what they thought of the Crouch-as-Moody hints. I know there's, like, one such person max and I'm unlikely to get much of a sample size, but I'd like to know if they thought the twitch-tongue thing was a good hint or if it was too much. Personally I liked it because a good mystery should have hints that the audience could get, and I thought that Moody (Gleeson)'s bit of tongue-twitch wasn't too much and might give viewers just enough to say, "Was he baiting him about his son or something? Do they have more history beyond what we saw in that pensieve scene?" Or maybe it gave it away completely. I dunno; I need some viewers to ring in. Ask your "I don't read but I like movies" loved ones and let me know, willya?

The shot where Harry looks back toward Cedric struggling with the vines in the maze and they zoom in on Harry's eyes and that long awful moment of should-I-save-him-or-go-for-the-cup decision where viewer who knows what's coming thinks, "There. That's the moment when Harry kills Cedric, at least that's the way Harry will remember it. Oh."

Oh, the beauty/agony of Harry and Deadric portkeying back to the grounds of the Third Task and the spectators breaking into joyous ignorant applause, eee. Loved how it was Fleur's scream that broke it and not just some dawning hush over the crowd.

Okay. I used to say "AH-chee-oh" because it looked Italian but then Jim Dale said "AH-see-oh" so I changed and now Movie!Harry says "AH-kee-oh." I am a fangirl and therefore allowed to have a mini breakdown over such things, shut up.

When Barty Crouch was walking with Harry in the woods I couldn't help but MSTy, (Harry voice): "Sir, you're not nearly as pretty as Professor Lupin; could I have this nature walk with HIM again, please?"

Harry's handwriting IS the Lumos font! Didja see it, there on the letter to Sirius?

I was struck less by the 'shippiness in this than I was by the Trio-ness. The need for the Trio to be together no matter whom they're romantically entangled with. It would have been okay for Hermione to be with Krum if only Ron didn't make it all "fraternizing with the enemy" ugly--it wasn't that she wanted to be asked by Ron as much as she wanted her best friends to be okay with her and Krum.

Tell me, though, that I'm not the only one who saw this film as innuendo paradise, despite what I say about Angelic!Harry. It was like a dirty version of Clue: It was Rita with in the broom cupboard with Harry, it was Snape in the potions storeroom with Harry, it was Cedric in the Prefect's Bath with Harry. Every moment was just waiting for the bau-chick-a-bau-bau track.

Best Intentionally Fabulous Moment: Snape rolling up his sleeves prior to grabbing Harry and Ron's heads.
Best Spontaneously Fabulous Moment: Ron's aborted bird-flip towards the twins when they're joshing him when he goes to dance with McGonagall.
Most Evil Line Ever: "It's a broom cupboard." "Well, then you should feel right at home." Didja hear that "AH!" scream from the woman in the tenth row? Then you were in my theatre and that was me.
Moment Where I Choked Up: Dumbledore's "I always hated these drapes." It all just...came home to me. Cedric's death, everything.
Most perfect line: "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" Oh, my god. That delivery, that "Oh, god, I don't want to cry and if I don't smile I will cry" rictus of bravery on Hermione's face--yeah. Whoever made the decision on that one, I kiss you.

I need to see it again and just perv. Eee, Lucius.

Last, I have a drabble for you.

*****
"I waited three hours."

Cedric looked up. "...Sorry?"

"I waited three hours. My fingers still haven't de-pruned," Harry said, holding up the offending digits and leaning in so close Cedric could smell the bacon on his breath. "And you never came."

Cedric felt himself flush down to his knees. "Harry, I--"

Then he realized that the flush wasn't all embarrassment.

"Um." Well. Yes, why not? "I'm really sorry. Got detained. Can I make it up to you tonight?"

As the pout on Harry's face changed to a slow smile, Cedric realized he wasn't sure he could wait until night.
*****

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

My friend was a runner on GoF. They filmed it once with DR and once with a body-double, but who knows who ended up on the big screen in the final cut!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's fascinating! Thank you so much!

[arachnethe2.livejournal.com]

Lucius/Cane/Harry's Sleeve = OT3

I swear! During this moment I thought about you. How you would sqee in from joy your chair. :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

DID YOU??? Migod, that so totally makes my year I can't even tell you!!

[ariadneelda.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a great review! Definitely the best I've read so far. And what I said a couple of days ago about me not being full of anticipation for the movie? Not true anymore, yeah. *g* Now that everyone keeps posting about it, I SO can't wait to see it but it hasn't been released here yet, wah! It's so frustrating not being really able to squee/comment on what you said. I'm saving this in my links to read again after I watch the movie. And the drabble was a great treat! :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Have you seen it yet? I want to know all about what you think! ^_^

[fujimiou.livejournal.com]

I write Harry Potter NC-17 smutfic and *I* was blushing, okay?

I went to a premiere (Nov 16, you HAD to wait for hours listening to the radio to be lucky enough to get tickets. I totally begged and sweet-talked my way to those tickets tho. Point is, the theather was full of fangirls/fanboys, nobody else would suffer for hours listening to crap music to get tickets. I wasn't surprised but amused at the reaction that scene got from everyone. There were people whistling (boys too!) and screaming and clapping and dirty NC-17 comments thru the whole scene. Even MY boyfriend blushed and said "oy, he looks ok" "..." "ok more ok than i expected". The movie was so deliciously filled with innuendo and judging by the reaction, many enjoyed that ^_^.

"It's a broom cupboard." "Well, then you should feel right at home."

I'm weird. I thought about the cruel implication but my mind just ran straight thru that and went to an Inside-the-broom-closet/In-the-closet implication. The i realized there was no such implication. My mind was murdered by Potterpuffs. *Points to icon*. Does that make sense..at all?.

Did he actually say he got buff for the film? 'Cos, MAN. *is afraid to believe*

It's really hot!wet!Dan in there. No body double or CGI (he's only 16 for God's sake, but damn does he look edible!). And i recall Newell, or the director, saying Daniel went to the gym every day at lunch break (during filming for the movie). And that he actually put a lot of effort working out for this movie. And how he was nervous about people seiing him half-naked with skin-colored trunks. *SQUEES* he's just too cute for his own sake (and ours).

I'm a helpless boucy!ferret fan, i guess there's not that much to comment on Draco in this movie since he's got probably 10 lines (tho he was everywhere in the movie, sitting or standing near Harry and that made my inner fangirl squeal) but...besides being hot and having a bad wig and everything, any thoughts on him? or Tom Felton for that matter?

I wonder if I'm the only one wishing they'd skip movie 5 and go for HBP. Just for the HP/DM. Imagine Cuaron or Newell for that one!. Oh the HP/DM innuendo if it was Newell! or the Y-Tu-Mama-Tambien-like-UST if it was Cuaron *melts and cries* I'll pray they choose a perv/gay director for that one.

PS: Here from a Rec List on the quest for some good H/D to read tonight.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, how lovely, thank you for coming over! And yes, I know exactly what you mean about the "in the closet" double (no, triple!) meanings! How can you not, in this fandom. Heh.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

:D :D :D! I read certain parts of this aloud to certain people while I was away. Hee! Oh my, so much fun. Though all inquiring minds want to know is what fic are you gonna write first?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm going to write...Harry/Grindylows!!

Heh, I shouldn't joke. I just might do it.

[tori-siikanen.livejournal.com]

There! I have seen the movie and so now I can comment! (so dumb of me to decide to keep the LJ just for posting chapters...and the next one *is* coming. I promise. honest.)

I was just swooning with the Harry/Cedric. I kept seeing spots where they could slashitup. I expect to see a flood of them on the archives soon.

Best Intentionally Fabulous Moment: Snape rolling up his sleeves prior to grabbing Harry and Ron's heads.

I am glad I went to see the movie alone, just for this moment, because I must have been completely incapable of speech ohyesdothatthingwithyoursleeves again. and Talk. Sardonically. YES. *slurp* Teacher, I have been BAD.

and I repeat: somebody has to write Harry/Snape/Ladder. God, the bait in this movie! Just a trove. I'm so glad I went to see it as soon as I could even if it meant going alone. I'll have an excuse to see it again. and again. and....

Harry is just toodamned pretty. And who was it they got for Cedric Diggory? he was almost hard to look at he was so gorgeous.

I do agree, though. I have to see it again. I was too caught up in the marvel of it all... and you're right. the look of absolute, astonished delight on Harry's face when he said, "I love Magic!" oh, that's it. SOLD.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Teacher, I have been BAD.

And thus a million fics were born, oh, yes, oh, yes!

*looking forward to next chapter of your stuff!*

[loony-moony.livejournal.com]

MWAH! YOU FABULOUS SCREECHING THING! :DDD

Radcliffe done up as Harry is not only incredibly pretty, he's one of the effing cherubim descended to earth.

Now why would you say anything like that? Or maybe, why would I expect you to say something like that? ;D But dude, his body in the Prefects Bathroom scene? WTFBBQGORGEOUSNEKKIDTHINGGAH.

Best Intentionally Fabulous Moment: Snape rolling up his sleeves prior to grabbing Harry and Ron's heads.

OH OH OH HOW I LOVED SNAPE IN THAT MOMENT. HE OWNED ME. HE SO OWNED ME. I mean, can it get better than Snape pwning Harry and Ron at the same time? I DON'T THINK SO. WEASLEY TWINS, FOILED!

Most Evil Line Ever: "It's a broom cupboard." "Well, then you should feel right at home." Didja hear that "AH!" scream from the woman in the tenth row? Then you were in my theatre and that was me.

I didn't hear ONE person. THE ENTIRE EFFING IMAX THEATRE IN NY BURST INTO ROARING LAUGHTER. Eeeeee I was so jumpy and giggly and happy! :DDD

LUCIUS. YOU GODDAMN BEAUTIFUL THING. Someone pointed out that his hair has gotten longer in this movie. GAH GAH GAH LUCIUS LONGHAIR SMUT NOOOOOOOOW. *dead* When he comes onscreen in the Quiddich World Cup I was going "WTF NOT READY FOR THIS GELLY GAH WARN ME FIRST!" and basically just missed the following 2 minutes out of shock. Mmmmmmmmrf.

<33333333 you like <333333 thing! :D

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I so adored your own take on this film on your own lj, I just have to tell you again. "Snape: I just want a roll." MMMMMMWAH!!!

[toft-froggy.livejournal.com]

Or mine, and it was me *g*.

I love reading your reviews of HP stuff, you always say exactly what I want to say, only better. And YAY on the angelic!Dan, interesting take on his role.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Hah, that was YOU "AH!" -ing in the theatre, too! Whee!

[tarzannie.livejournal.com]

Your review has opened up a whole new perspective for me. It was absolutely wonderful. I never really thought about the limitations placed on Radcliffe, having to play Harry's character so that anyone can become the protagonist. I've seen all the movies, and I've notice how much Radcliffe has changed over the course of the series. I'm lusting over a 16 year old boy! *gasp* But that bath scene really drove home for me the fact that he's older now (I was blushing too!). One thing I loved about this movie was that it had so much humor in it, and more subtle humor that a fanfic fan could poke fun at (think of all those innuendos, both real and imagined). Those lines, "I LOVE magic," and the way Snape pushed his sleeves up before pushing the boys' heads, that is what made the movie for me. I completely agree with your views in your review. GOF already has a special spot in my movie case, waiting for when the DVD comes out!

I've only recently discovered the H/D ship, so I've been surfing around for stories and fanart. I noticed your comment on the stories "Arcadia" and "Gloria" (which is how I found your wonderful review), and I have to ask where you found those amazing H/D pics in your icon and your mood pics?

Again, wonderful review!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, you sweetheart, thank you! The pictures in this icon (and in the Costumed players kissing one) came from all over the place; I don't know if I can give you links but I could send you the pictures; I've got 'em all in folders. And if you go to my user info page you will see a link to the mood theme and how to use it! ^_^

[goseaward.livejournal.com]

Just bopping in to say--I don't think that the hints were too over-the-top. Well, I did, actually, but my dad--who has read the books *and * reads mysteries all the time--didn't notice the tongue thing till I mentioned it to him. So, yeah.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I know that I want people to say that it wasn't too obvious--I want to have even more reasons to like this film. y'know? ^_^

[sor-bet.livejournal.com]

While the film was going on, I missed nothing.

Totally agree. It wasn't until days later that I went "hey, where were the Veelas? S.P.E.W.?" and so forth.

I will certainly check with DH as he hasn't read past book 2, so he has no idea about book 4. In fact, he went as Lucius to the Halloween party this year, and I kept blabbing about Dark Marks and Death Eaters without realizing it, until finally he asked "what's a Death Eater?" I said, "Um, you're one of them, but never mind, you'll find out."

In hindsight, I thought the tongue lick was a giveaway, as it was obvious, and then the next scene shows the flashback, but your idea of doing it to bait Couch makes sense, too. Anyway, DH is pretty quick about some stuff, so I'll see how soon he figures it out.

And maybe Dan in the bath was too beautiful to drool at, but he wasn't too beautiful to NOT take my breath away. The whole theater had quite a good reaction to that scene. Jayzus. I feel really, really horrible finding out that he was only 14 when they filmed that.

Deadric. snerk.

and leaning in so close Cedric could smell the bacon on his breath. Double snerk.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I feel so bad imagining that at age 13 they must have been saying to him, "Uh, Dan...you're gonna need a trainer for three hours a day." No normal life for the kid!

[apathyandgenius.livejournal.com]

I made sure to be in the theatre when my best friend Lacey went to see this. She hasn't read any of the books and at the point when the bushes were closing in on Cedric, she leaned over to me and said, "Don't hurt the pretty one." I almost started crying then, and she did cry quite a bit. The only scene that doesn't come home if you haven't read the books is the part with Neville and Cruciatus. You have to know why that scene is so heart-wrenching for him. When Moody became Barty Jr. she was like "Oh!" I still had to explain a bit of it to her, but she loved it. She still won't, however, read the books. *sigh*

I have noticed a disturbing trend among the HP fans. People either love or hate this movie. My brother (not as much of a fan as I am, of course, but still a huge fan) despised this movie. He thought it was action-packed and emotionally lacking. He hated that they left out so much of the book, but then he loved the PoA interpretation, and I think that they fucked over that book a lot. At least Goblet of Fire made sense to non-book readers.

Moment where I choked up: That's my son! That's my boy! (I thought I was going to lose it right there in the theatre)

And, omg!, Cedric's GAY! Why didn't they tell us this in the book? lol. He was totally just humoring Cho. Totally. I don't think Newell could have put more homosexual undertones in this book, honestly.

Okay, I think this has been a long enough comment now.

~Libby

PS Voldemort/Harry is my new OTP, dammit.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, god, yes. Voldemort/Harry is perfectly subtextually canon, I swear. Mmm.

[kissed-by-fate.livejournal.com]

The best part of the showing I attended (which only had about 20 people in it, two under the age of 15 or so) was the two twenty-something geekdweeby guys who snuck into the dark theater AFTER the movie had started, looking around to see if anyone was watching them enter.

Yay for the shy boys.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Awww, that is JUST too cute! ^_^

[sethra-bf.livejournal.com]

I want to find someone who hasn't read the books but is seeing the films (and wasn't spoiled) to find out what they thought of the Crouch-as-Moody hints. I know there's, like, one such person max and I'm unlikely to get much of a sample size, but I'd like to know if they thought the twitch-tongue thing was a good hint or if it was too much. Personally I liked it because a good mystery should have hints that the audience could get, and I thought that Moody (Gleeson)'s bit of tongue-twitch wasn't too much and might give viewers just enough to say, "Was he baiting him about his son or something? Do they have more history beyond what we saw in that pensieve scene?" Or maybe it gave it away completely. I dunno; I need some viewers to ring in. Ask your "I don't read but I like movies" loved ones and let me know, willya?

I am one such :)

I liked the effect and didn't find it too obvious. When you see Moody's twitch a few things crossed my mind: he was possibly evil and maybe that was a deatheater trait, maybe he was the snake from Harry's dreams, and it may have even popped into my head that there was a chance he was Crouch, but I can't quite remember :p

And I like to read, just haven't read these books and I'm really enjoying going into the movies unspoiled.

Cheers!

-J

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Though I recommend the books to everyone, there's a real pleasure in seeing good films without knowing what the books hold! In fact, I've often said it's best in most cases to see the movie, then read the book, because you tend to like both sources best that way. ^_^

[hey-mockingbird.livejournal.com]

So...yes, this would be a random lurker who found your fics and has since decided to friend you. sorry.

but I wanted to say, for this: Tell me, though, that I'm not the only one who saw this film as innuendo paradise, despite what I say about Angelic!Harry. It was like a dirty version of Clue: It was Rita with in the broom cupboard with Harry, it was Snape in the potions storeroom with Harry, it was Cedric in the Prefect's Bath with Harry. Every moment was just waiting for the bau-chick-a-bau-bau track. I <3 you.

~E.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Ooh, how awesome to have you on board! *hugs*

[emoatomicbunny.livejournal.com]

I was giggling madly to myself the WHOLE WAY THROUGH! I caught everything you mentioned when I saw the first or second time I saw it, but did you catch when Voldemort said, "I can TOUCH him now!" That was the final phrase that tipped me over the edge. Everyone sitting around me stared as I laughed hysterically. A little gorl sitting next to me said, "It's not funny!", which, as you can image, didn't help at all.

I swear, though, whne are they going to tie up all the loose ends they've created? How about Lupin's knowledge of the map? The marauders? Rita bloody fucking Skeeter (gah, how I hate her!), and Priori Incantatem!!

I really should be ranting in my own journal, but I hardly ever use it anyway...

-The Bunny

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

A little gorl sitting next to me said, "It's not funny!", which, as you can image, didn't help at all.

Nope, I would have laughed even harder too!

I swear we won't ever get the Map wrap-up, but I'm hoping the Marauder stuff shows up in OotP.

[cadillacaro.livejournal.com]

*delurks* Not even sure you'll get this, but...

I want to find someone who hasn't read the books but is seeing the films (and wasn't spoiled) to find out what they thought of the Crouch-as-Moody hints.

I dragged my mom this morning (the movie just came out yesterday in France). She hasn't read the books, and all she knows about HP is from the movies (half-watched at home) and my obsessive gushing. Anyways, at the end of the movie, I asked her if she saw Crouch-as-Moody coming. She usually solves detective stories and such way before the end. She said in HP, she thought about it, but wasn't sure until the end. Hope that helps.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yes, that does! My mom's like that too, gets all the films a third of the way through. When I showed her PoA, she was asking things like, "Will that girl (Hermione) turn out to be Harry's mom, or something?" during the time-turner stuff. ^_^

[ragingvirgin.livejournal.com]

Saw it and definately squeed. Twice. Because I saw it twice in two days. (The second time I was sandwiched between the 'rents so it was weird...) Hey, did anyone else notice Dan's left nipple? If you have you won't need explaining...

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I know, I can't wait to get the DVD and freeze on the anatomy!

[hirei.livejournal.com]

Personally, I do agree with a lot you say - my only hang-up being that, like many other people I've talked to, I was disappointed by a lot of what was left out or just plain changed. I loved the whole 'Death-Eaters-coming-from-the-dark-mark' thing, it looked totally brilliant, but at the same time I was smacking my head and groaning. I mean, if that's how it happens, none of the meetings would be, you know, secret. Something like that is highly visible, and it wasn't very realistic to do that. However, I still admit to it looking awesome.
Another thing I didn't like? The KKK-esque pointy head-things the DE's wore. So not cool. Apart from those and a few other things, i actually did enjoy the movie. I'm just a stickler for the books, lol.
I love the drabble. Seriously. Cedirc was fucking hot.

[hirei.livejournal.com]

Gah, I have the worst typing ever. Please ignore those mistakes (i instead of I, Cedirc instead of Cedric, etc.).

[glockgal.livejournal.com]

EEEE! YOur review is the only one I've finally gotten around to reading, now that I've seen the movie (took my loooong enough), and I pretty much agree with everything you say. Radcakes REALLY came into his own here, and I felt like I was watching Harry, not Dan-acting-Harry. It was fantastic.

I too loved EVERY moment of it, from beginning to end. I loved Albus and Fudge yelling at each other, I loved the first Task, hell, I even loved the Hagrid scenes. This movie was so well put-together.

No CGI creature could ever have been as wonderful.

GOD YES. I am so much with the old sckool special effects lovingness!! SOOO MUCH.

And the twins! *flails*

And...and everything! Cedric, man. I was crying, yup. Harry's heartfelt bawling under the crowd's oblivious cheers, Fleur being the first to realize, the echoing mournful howls of Amos....ohhh my god. The only happy thing to come from that scene is your term 'Deadric'. Aahahahaa*cries*hahahahaah!

Um...I dont' really have anythign productive to say--- ohnowait!

OMG THE DRABBLE. It pretty much personifies EVERYTHING I love about the Cedric/Harry. That feeling of rushed, but not happening and need that's there but it won't be and GYAAAAAAAAHHHHH. The perfect UST.

*loves loves loves*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you saw it all, whee! And I wish I could take credit for "Deadric" but I can't. Others have used it and it had me rolling so much I had to use it. I'm using it a lot now. Hee.

[sine-que-non767.livejournal.com]

I think because this is a visual medium the films are unapologetic about using Harry's looks to further this Blank Slate Harry. Radcliffe done up as Harry is not only incredibly pretty, he's one of the effing cherubim descended to earth. Angelic and effectively androgenous with it when the make-up artists are at their most intense with him: Harry is pale of complexion and flushed at cheek and lip--hair as black as ebony,

[...] Radcliffe's called on to do "anxious" a lot in this film and he's excellent at it; I adored watching him on the verge of puking before and during every Tournament Task. But we still have that "sense of wonder and joy" Harry that made Harry so much the Dickensian orphan in the first two films

Excellent points. I like the way you describe Harry - he's so DAMN pretty, with the make-up and the light/dark contrasts. It's inescapable, however much we might want to refuse to see it because of his age. In the bath I was 0_0 - the boy has muscle. As does Ron, in bed. *g* (In the 'piss off' scene, I mean.) And, yes, it's part of the film's portrayal of Harry - the Harry of fairytale - skin as pale as milk, lips as red as blood, hair as black as ebony... Very effective visual pointers to fantasy tropes.

I really enjoy his acting, for the most part - it gets better. But I agree he's called on to do an impossible task! - as well as portraying one of the most popular characters in fiction, which is pressure enough. Yet as you point out, he still has his Dickensian innocence! (Convenient for fandom, as it also works so very well with all of us who enjoy despoiling him.)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Hee, you used my favorite verb! XD

[sine-que-non767.livejournal.com]

Also.

Deadric.

*is still bursting into little giggles an hour later*

So cruel, so much needing to be on a t-shirt.

[executivehpfan.livejournal.com]

The movie definitely deserved the PG-13 rating. The innuendo, the nakedcherub!Harry was just...wow. Caught me by surprise, but not entirely unpleasant.

"Well, then you should feel right at home." You screamed? I did too. The entire audience was like, "...okay, *that* was low."

And the Snape scene with the boys? I want to snog the person who thought that up. It was just brilliant.

And Ralphdemort is the sexiest villain that ever villained.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the person who came up with the Snape-as-hall-monitor scene deserves lots and lots of money/undying affection! XD

[pushdragon.livejournal.com]

I love the way you see into the inner workings of a story. Somehow you make me like the film even more.

By way of feedback (and also contrast) I didn't pick up the tongue-thing Moody was doing until the second time I saw the film. There will always be alert viewers hunting for clues, but the vast majority of us are just happily being led along, distracted by trying to remember whether there might possibly be another Lucius scene before the graveyard at the end. So too obvious for some, perhaps, but too subtle for others.

I'll take away what you've said about the necessary blankness of Harry's character and try to make something clever out of it. You're absolutely right of course.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I might not be right--I might be making it all up because I want to like it, or something! ^_^ But it soundedlike I knew what I was talking about, didn't it?

[asyndeta.livejournal.com]

My third viewing of GoF was at an IMAX. Harry's nipple was the size of a human being.

...mm.

Anyway, your entire review was wonderful and so wholly true (and you're onto your third page of comments), so I won't say much. My only real peeve in the whole movie was the scene where Voldemort (guh) is talking to Lucius (double guh). Lucius was taller. That doesn't bother me per se, but he does nothing about it - where is the bowing, the robe-kissing, the deference necessary in that dialogue? Hiss.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Didn't Voldemort get Lucius on his knees before long, though? (Or am I misremembering the way I want to remember? ^_^ )