Fri: Jul 20 2007

"My two cents"
4 comments, it seems

Surprise Me

So. Harry Potter. Book 7. Tomorrow! I have just begun a rereading of HBP to get up to speed with things to look out for and that sort of thing. To the non-Potterphiles, have you any idea much expectation lies on this last book? It is the ending, and it should, should contain (not all) the answers to many questions from all the other books in the series. Whose expectations do I speak of? Most of us I suspect are fans. Some others not so much, just readers who want to know what happens in the end. Should I even mention those who only watch the movies? Pah. Anyway.

With regards to what becomes of Harry and his peers, and where the last book takes us, I will again mention that I am fond of some theories I have read online, particularly those of Red Hen. I also read quite an interesting one that suggests HBP was mostly a dream of Harry’s, a distorted view of reality…

Not all theories have to hold, but I admit that the exposure to Red Hen has made me become jaded, cynical of Jo’s writing and storytelling capablities. Enchanted still, because she spins quite a story, quite a reading experience, but you become aware of her faults and the series’ inconsistences.

While we might not be able to help that we never found the two missing Gryffindor students in Harry’s year, my expectations of the series’ ending involve several twists and turns that I fear may not have been made room for. I fear that the ingenuity attributed to Jo will not reflect in the last book. I fear the theories I have read are just too clever for Harry Potter. Gasp! What blasphemy. I don’t mean to insult J K Rowling. I mean to say that I am sure she is a busy woman and that having to cope with writing the end to the Harry Potter series is difficult as it is, and her skillz just aren’t godly enough to fit in all my favourite theories into Book 7.

So this is what I am afraid of: that, after having read many wonderful plausible theories, some so convincing leaving me to believe in them as certain truths behind the canon of the series… I will pick up the Deathly Hallows and read an ending that does not match the genius of the said theories.

Well, “Rowling predicts that some of Harry’s fans will dislike Deathly Hallows,” says USA Today. So I’ll just have to deal. I don’t know. Maybe I just think too much.

King Weasley Doesn’t Make It

Okay, the movie. OotP. Heh. I was bound to make a remark about it, wasn’t I?

I have to say I actually liked it. =P In complete contrast to my attitude towards Book 7, I went to watch Movie 5 with no expectations, and for the better I think. The Harry Potter movies will never match up with the books, and thus have to be enjoyed separately.

Obviously a lot was cut out, and by ‘a lot’ I mean a lot! Weasley is our King, anyone? I think they kept only the scenes that were central to the plot… that said, if this were wholly true, Kreacher would not have made an appearance at all, since not a house-elf was seen in Movie 4 (despite Winky’s relative importance in the story).

Personally I suffered two disappointments in the movie, the first possibly a minor point, the second, one that I thought would be weighed in with planning for the sixth movie. Firstly, TONKS. Would a little more screen time hurt? She was a nice addition to the whole cast in the series and she’s going to be a miserable thing in Movie 6 to watch, so I wanted to enjoy her presence as much as possible in Movie 5. Meh. My second complaint is Ginny. She has quite a role in HBP, and I would have thought that her character in Movie 5 would be, you know, perked up a bit in preparation for the sixth movie. Yes, she did cast two powerful reductos, but where was the emergence of her personality, her sense of humour… heck, at the very least, where were her boyfriends?

The ‘WTF?!’ section: Voldemort in a suit. And the usage of ‘Levicorpus’ before encountering the Half-Blood Prince.

But yes, the good stuff. Umbridge was hatefully brilliant (nice kitties), and I rather liked Luna’s portrayal. She reminded me a little of Skins‘ Cass. Oh and the Room of Requirement (bigger than I’d expected, but still a delight), and the “I Love You” chocolates. Young Snape! (Poor soul.) Trelawney drama. Thestrals. Mr Weasley on the Underground! The fireplaces for the Floo Network in the Ministry of Magic. Neville towering over Harry.

Okay okay, too much? But I’m sure each fan had something to like in the movie. Let’s look on the positive side. We’ll look back on the movies in the years to come and muse, “They could have been a lot worse.”

For now, let’s agree that the books can entertain us far more, and hold our breaths in apprehension of whatever the Deathly Hallows are…

 
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categories(?): books_etc, tv_and_film, hp, that's all :)

Tue: Dec 26 2006

"Lawyers, doctors, and global warming. Yup."
2 comments, it seems

How to Talk to a Global Warming Skeptic ; and read the comments as well to open your mind a bit.

You know that the problem with having a blog is that you feel like posting up every opinion that crosses your mind throughout the course of the day. I considered ranting about annoying shop assistants in the lingerie/underwear section of Bruneian department stores, who insist on coming up to you suggesting you might need their help choosing out a bra. But decided not to.

(That was my not-so-sneaky insertion of my random opinion into the blog anyway. Ha!)

That said I am going to go ahead anyway with a rant that was in my head yesterday. Namely this: Wiki’s entry on Ally McBeal. It used to be a lot emptier, and seemed too focused on how everyone hated Calista Flockhart’s skinny frame. I loved the show. I found the characters weird and offbeat, very unreal but what percentage of the things you see on television isn’t made-up or deliberately filmed from a particular point of view anyway?

So yeah, I was probably 15-ish when I watched it, and not shallow enough to notice or be unconsciously affected by how thin Calista Flockhart was. I think I followed it for a couple seasons. It was funny. Here’s the thing, when I first watched Scrubs, this was the first thing to pop into my mind: “It reminds me of Ally McBeal”. The fantasies, the strange characters, and yet the focus on relationships and people’s feelings, that endears you to the show.

I guess all I’m saying is, say whatever you want about Calista Flockhart, but don’t bitch about the show just because of her.

Oh, and I love Scrubs. ^^

So this week I have to get started on work, which means you can expect a change in layout, however insignificant, in the blog, as I attempt to distract myself from my (doomed to be horribly done) assignments.

 
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categories(?): tv_and_film, angry_rants, slacker_rants, reads, that's all :)

Sun: Dec 24 2006

"my coat might be brown"
0 comments, it seems

OMG the evils of a debit card. When I start looking up things from a fandom and adding things to virtual shopping baskets then I know I’m not just being a fan - I’m being the merchandise-driven fangirl, buy buy BUY to feed the joy you get from that fictional world.

Ladies and gents, the fandom in question is Joss Whedon’s Firefly. If you haven’t heard of it, do take a look. I have spent the past few hours on the DVD of the movie that followed, Serenity. Watching all the bonus features. Oh and I liked the movie too. Well worth it for someone who’s already a fan. My second purchase will hopefully be the soundtrack from the TV series, because I read that the one from the movie was crap. ^^

I guess I should acknowledge Jin Shen for introducing the series to me several months ago, and all I gave in return was a few horrible days as an uncaring hostess. Dude. Thanks.

Oh OMG I have work due in January. =( =( Including an essay and a programming assignment. From experience I know I am unable to do an essay two days before it is due, because the last 5 hours before the deadline I get suddenly very picky and refuse to bullshit my way through with a complete essay, spending ages perfecting a single paragraph. And I cannot learn a programming language to satisfy an assignment in two hours because then I panic and I don’t understand any of it at all. This is common sense to many people. Unfortunately the “Sloth” button in me is constantly switched on (especially after noon, so waking up early makes little difference), and it overrides almost everything else except for, you know, sustenance, and eh, hygiene. For a generally sensible (if impractical, as I am useless in all household domestic tasks) person, I don’t think much of the consequences of my laziness.

End whining. You people go off and enjoy your Christmas holidays now, shoo.

 
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categories(?): tv_and_film, omg, personal, slacker_rants, that's all :)