Crikey — this is a whole new ballgame! The core characters — Harry, Ron, and Hermione — aren’t ciphers. And I’m finally engaged by a film that goes beyond the rules laid out in Steven Spielberg’s Guide to Blockbusters (and not beyond). I can see why Rowling herself loved this one.
Notes:
1) Boorman’s Excaibur? I mean, I remember wandering around my hometown in emerald, late-night summer light thinking that magical artifacts would be f***ing awesome….
2) Has Hogwarts suddenly moved? To Scotland? Seriously — in the books (and in Columbus’ films), I’d assumed it was in Wales. Now, it seems inarguably to be North of the Border.
3) The camera seems to move relentlessly, like an adolescent.
Bottom line: Best — by a longshot — so far: confronts the source material without bowing down before it.
Bonus question: What does my friend Rufus Blooter think that the great Gambon — after whom TopGear’s final corner is named — is bad? I mean, even in the books he turns a bit … odd … at this point. Harris was dead — no one could reproduce that whisper. Gambon is, IMO, brilliant.
Did you notice all the animals? Even in random scenes you get crows hopping about. I didn’t notice it until I watched the extras on the DVDs. Details like that really added up. Agreed it is a great film. Gambon is still pants, however.
Shame Cuaron didn’t get to direct another one.
yes, i enjoyed #3, and also liked Goblet of Fire (can’t remember the #).
Gambon — meh. I’ve not read any of the books, so i have no great insight to what the character should be. I just find his character a little too much of a pushover, i guess.
Alan Rickman is probably my favorite; he seems to be having an absolute blast.
Ah, zim, you’re doing yourself a great disservice by not reading the books. I really recommend reading them all before you see any more of the films. Book 3, in particular, is just outstanding. Shame you can’t unwatch the third movie before reading it.