Mo's Manic Monday - Curse

Posted: Monday, July 20, 2009 by Travis Cody in
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Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to cruise by MM HQ at the Manic Monday blog. Today's theme is Curse.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince opened this weekend. We went to see it on Friday. It rocked!

Naturally we speculated on why some things were left out. We picked nits actually. But we've always done that. We love the books and the films. We're fans. It's natural that we think certain things are important to transfer from the page to the screen. But we're not purists, really. We can let the movies stand as compliments to the books.

Still, I think this time around that some of the omissions really could leave anyone who hadn't read the books a bit lost. I don't think this film stands well on it's own, just for that reason. But there was so much information in Half Blood Prince that the film could have easily been 4 or even 5 hours long. I would have been ok with that, but it probably wouldn't have been the best choice for the film makers.

I won't go into details. Y'all can decide for yourselves, or not, depending on your level of interest in the Harry Potter universe. Suffice to say, I loved it. My mom loved it. Pam loved it. Pam and I will likely see it at least once more in the theater.

Now, for our MM word. There is a scene where Katie Bell, one of Harry's quidditch teammates, is accidentally attacked by a cursed opal necklace.



If you click on those links above, it takes you to information in a Harry Potter Wiki page. I did not know such a thing existed. Being a Harry Potter geek, I'm quite thrilled that there is a place to go for quick details.

Anyway, if you are a Harry Potter fan and you have not yet seen the movie...WTF??? Get thee to thy local movie house and see it!



Oh hey? Is it too early to start the count down to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?



I didn't think so either. Part 1 is scheduled for release on 19 November 2010, with part 2 to follow on 15 July 2011. That's 487 days and 725 days.

18 comments:

  1. j says:
    20 July, 2009 00:25

    You answered a question for me - my kiddo SAID that book #7 would be filmed in two parts. I wasn't sure if she was correct and I hadn't taken the time to look into it.

    There were some changes that I didn't understand either. It seemed that they were minimizing Tonks/Lupin's place in the story and creating more screen time for Luna.

    I also agree that the movie wouldn't stand on its own very well. In fact, before we see it again (in about two weeks - IMAX here we come) I want to watch the entire series again, plus re-read the 6th book.

    Regardless, I LOVED it and realize that I have become a Potter nerd.

  1. Anonymous says:
    20 July, 2009 00:43

    OMG you are hooked on Harry Potter. LOL Glad you enjoyed it :) Aloha

  1. Terra Shield says:
    20 July, 2009 03:02

    I love the books, but after the first 4 movies, I lost interest. A friend said I should watch it, though, because the actors have become much better looking :)

  1. DrillerAA says:
    20 July, 2009 04:38

    To be honest, I don't think I've seen a Harry Potter film. I know that I have not read any of the books.

  1. maryt/theteach says:
    20 July, 2009 06:35

    You mean, Travis, there's another Harry Potter movie after this one? Harry will be walking with a cane soon...:)

  1. Cherie says:
    20 July, 2009 07:30

    I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! I can never see a film based on a book that I have read and adore. I've already created the film in my head, so I am continually picking nits. ;) However, I can read the book after and really enjoy both as separate works. Had to see this one a 2nd time before I really enjoyed it. I've been waiting for your film review, but as soon as I saw "curse" as the theme for today, I figured you'd use it as a springboard. :)

  1. Charles Gramlich says:
    20 July, 2009 08:30

    I wonder if they'll cover parts of this in the two part ending? Probably. You're right, there was a huge amount of stuff in that book.

  1. Akelamalu says:
    20 July, 2009 08:40

    I much prefer the books but the films are exciting. My brother went to see this latest one and said the special effects are the best yet! I will see it at some point.

  1. Vinny "Bond" Marini says:
    20 July, 2009 10:03

    there are so many people into the books and the movies...maybe one day I will pick one up.

  1. Durward Discussion says:
    20 July, 2009 10:56

    We went on Friday and loved, loved, loved it. You almost have to have read the books to see this as the set up for the finale, but it was excellent. Yes there were details missing and I understand that the last two movies are being done as two simply because the minor events contribute so much to the solution.

    I wish they would move the last two up to July and December of next year or even December of this year and July of Next. I would like to live long enough to see all the films. :-)

  1. John Holland says:
    20 July, 2009 14:44

    They thought about filming this one in two parts, but decided against it. Probably would have made more sense that way.

  1. Anonymous says:
    20 July, 2009 15:51

    We've reached the part of the Harry Potter series that I was not in love with, but I am nonetheless looking forward to the movie. I had planned to see it this past Saturday but then my new office floor.

  1. Travis Cody says:
    20 July, 2009 17:23

    Jennifer: I know what you mean about the Tonks/Lupin relationship. They kind of just got there without any of the story happening.

    Thom: I'm a proud Potter geek!

    Terra: I guess that's one reason to keep watching. LOL!

    Driller: Grandcrew isn't into it?

    Mary: There's 2 more!

    Cherie: Sometimes I can't separate one from the other very well. For example, I was very nervous for LOTR because I love the book so much. The films turned out to be more than satisfying, and now I take film and books together. That's how I am with Harry Potter. But with Ludlum's Bourne series, I completely separate the books from the updated films because of the radical departures they had to make to the story in order to make the story current and fresh. I love the books and the movies, but I don't associate one with the other. Make sense?

    Charles: I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I wondered about 2 things in particular...whether those will be incorporated into the final films.

    Akelamalu: The effects really were quite good. And the acting was terrific too.

    V: No worries if it's not your thing.

    Jamie: I was very pleased to see casting for Dobby and Bill Weasley. It leads me to believe that the last two films are going to be pretty well complete, if they follow through.

    John: I just read that they also considered doing Goblet of Fire in 2 parts. I always thought that they could have done better with that film if they had shortened the scenes with the dragon and focused more on character.

    Barb: Now I'm just the opposite. I love the charm and wonder of the early books. But I'm keenly attracted to the darker aspects of the later books.

  1. Mimi Lenox says:
    20 July, 2009 18:26

    I'm not a Harry Potter reader but one of these days I'm going to start with book one and proceed. I never watch onscreen first but....maybe I should just to save time! Thanks for the details on this and the graphics themselves are just wonderful.

  1. Southern (in)Sanity says:
    20 July, 2009 18:59

    This will be hard to believe, but I have never read a single page of any of the Harry Potter books - or watched a minute of any of the movies.

    I hear all of both are very good, though.

  1. ClancyPants says:
    21 July, 2009 14:16

    LOVE Harry Potter!!! Love it! Haven't seen the new one yet, but before you "WTF" all over me, let me say that we see VERY VERY few movies in the theater and are planning on going to it, but we wait for the crowds to die down a bit. We just see it in our own good time. :-)

  1. Desert Songbird says:
    22 July, 2009 22:41

    I had a mixed reaction to the movie. I think I need to see it again and forget it's an adaptation of the book. I kept thinking of the omissions and wondering how the added scene took away from the set up for the seventh book. You know what I mean, right?

    Anyway, be sure to check out:

    The Leaky Cauldron

  1. Julia Phillips Smith says:
    23 July, 2009 08:30

    I loved it, too - but my husband wasn't as keen on it. He's read all the books, and I haven't. But I'm not sure that's his problem with it. He doesn't like the latest director's style, when it comes down to it.

    I really love Ron, and Ron had a ton of great scenes in this one, so I had a great time.

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