Movies

Two days ago, I took my kids off to see the new Harry Potter offering. I must confess, I haven't read all the books -- something I'm planning to rectify one day. The problem for me was that I was reading them aloud to my kids, and the slow pace forced on me by this meant I couldn't allow myself the luxury of being in the novel, which is what usually happens to me when I'm reading. I am looking forward to some time when I can just sit and read them, one after the other, but up till now have waited till the whole series is out. I hate getting really involved in a series and then finding out the next book is not published. Quite often, it means that I'll never finish that series because by the time the next book comes out I will have forgotten all of the nuances of the previous book and will feel bound to reread them, which usually means I go onto something else as well. Anyway, this all means I have passed the point of having read what I'm watching on screen.

My two kids, the day before we went, had taken themselves off to see Bridge to Terabithia -- ironic really that, after not going because they wouldn't get up, they got to see it, and I didn't. Sir Talkalot said he loved it, and Princess Sleepyhead said it was crap. This doesn't necessarily reflect on the movie, as much as politics. Her brother was extolling the movie's virtues, and if he loved it then she had to hate it. So he said Harry Potter wasn't as good as Bridge, and she said it was much better. Don't you just love family dynamics?

For me, the most fascinating part of the movie was finding out more about the relationship between Snape and Harry's father. I was waiting for Harry's reaction to this revelation -- as it was a revelation to him as well -- but this never really happened. Can't help wondering though whether it's in the book, in which case it's something to look forward to. And I hope it is in the book. I hate it when writers have a really big revelation to a character, and then don't follow it up with the character's emotional response. I imagine Rowling has dealt with this, because I think she's very strong on her characters and on what they're feeling.

Snape has always been one of the most interesting characters -- not so much in the first book, but the more I read/see, the more I can see his complexities. On the one hand is his antagonism towards Harry, on the other is that he often seems to help Harry in some way. Now, when I read on, I'll be looking more carefully at his character interactions with other characters whom I dislike, like Malfoy. More reading, and looking at Rowling's character relationships is something to look forward to.