Magic Movie Moments with Harry, Part 1: Sorcerer's Stone

Anyone who is even a casual reader of this blog knows that I am a huge Harry Potter fan.  Seriously, it borders on unhealthy, this obsession I still somehow have.  And this summer marks the very last time that it's going to be (marginally) socially acceptable for me to gush over all things HP.  (This doesn't mean I won't continue to do so, it just means that it will be all the more annoying to everyone around me when I do).  Anyway, the final film comes out in just a few weeks' time, and I thought I'd take a look back at the previous seven films, the last ten years of this big-screen phenomenon, and pick out some of my favorite moments.  

Harry, Ron, and Hermione have the meet-cute of a lifetime on the train to Hogwarts.
Our Trio's First Scene Together! 
Harry and Ron bond over a mutual fascination with each other, and their love of candy (because really, who doesn't love candy?).  Hermione introduces herself with more snobbery than 99% of eleven year olds on the planet-- good thing that turned out to be a misdirect.  I loved the way each of them acted in this scene; the personalities of the three characters were well-articulated even in their first moments together.  Oh, by the way, Hermione?  That boy you're passing judgment on?  The ginger kid with the dirt on his nose?  Yeah, you're gonna marry him.

Harry's Big Game

 The quidditch scene addresses our wondering of how the hell they would convey this wacky sport on the big screen. I have to say, I'm still amused by just how brutal it was made to look here (three of Harry's teammates are down for the count by game's end, and no one seems terribly concerned), and given the limited technology of 2001, the whole thing is pretty darn impressive for its time.


Mirror Images

Our Harry takes a nighttime stroll in his newly acquired invisibility cloak, and comes across a treasure in a secret room.  This scene is probably my favorite in this book, and definitely my top 10 of the series, for the simple poignancy.  Harry is an eleven year old boy, and as such could be hoping for any number of silly things, and yet his dearest ambition is to see an image of his parents one more time.  My heartstrings had officially been tugged when I read this scene, and the wide-eyed longing with which baby-Dan Radcliffe played this scene was just perfect.  And of course, it's from this scene in both book and movie that we learn one of the most important lessons Dumbledore will teach us:  "It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live."

Life-sized Chess!  Ron sacrifices himself!

This scene, apart from being so darn exciting in the book, is a huge moment of achievement for all three members of the trio.  Ron steps up to the plate in a big way, leading the team to a victory that neither Harry nor Hermione could have achieved; Hermione realizes that her brand of intelligence isn't enough in every situation (though admittedly it comes through in many of them); and Harry faces the fact that he can't be the only one to make sacrifices all the time (of course, he seems to forget and re-learn this lesson in all seven books).  And amid all the epiphanies, there's of course the really cool visual of giant chess pieces facing off in a battle to the death.


"I'm not going home, not really."

Harry finds his place at Hogwarts and we, like him, eagerly await the journey back.  I love that the film ended on this note, with John Williams' beautifully composed score swelling optimistically as the train rolls away.  It just seems to perfectly sum up the feeling in Harry's heart when he leaves this first year of magic and so many new discoveries.  There's also a bit of a bittersweet note-- Harry knows now what he's returning to, and what he's leaving behind.  Fortunately, this time it's only for a summer.

Stay tuned for part two, when I dig through the denseness that is Chamber of Secrets for its best moments.

Book Review: Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

It's not that I love being a contrarian (okay, sometimes I do), but I'm going to have to go against the crowd on this one, too:  Jonathan Franzen is, admittedly, a talented writer with an admirable grip on the nuances and complications of the modern suburban family; however, this is not (for me, at least), the example of "fiction-at-its-best" that I was led to expect.  Everywhere you look reviewers are singing Franzen's praises; he's a hit and a bestseller to boot not to mention apparently very arrogant about all of his success.  And maybe this really is a case of "his old stuff was better", but for me this book and Franzen's prose simply did not live up to the hype.

I think my major problem with Freedom is that it's a hundred (if not more) pages longer than it needs to be.  Maybe his editor is just indulgent at this point, assuming the book-toting soccer moms and hipsters they're counting on to buy it will read anything with Franzen's name attached.  In any event, there is just too much background on things that ultimately don't seem terribly significant to the story, not to mention a lot of excess prose (and not even the good, "look how beautifully I can describe these things" kind of excess). 

Patty is an interesting character, I will grant that.  However, I will also say that there are definitely times in the course of the narrative where she becomes flat, becomes a caricature in many ways, and it is frustrating that despite the book being largely in her perspective or at least attempting to be, we don't always get the insight into her behavior that I for one would have liked.  Given that the protagonist falls short in this regard, it seems unlikely that there could be any hope for the remaining characters.  Indeed, Walter doesn't become interesting until the novel's final third, and even the ground he gains there is later negated by his decision to reunite with his wife despite the unhappiness of their former relationship.

Freedom paints an honest portrait of the sufferings of the 21st century middle class-- and yes, that sounds melodramatic, but there is a lot of pain in this book, and not all of it self-created.  These characters are truly pathetic in many ways, and by the novel's end very few of them have changed significantly.  This is, in my opinion, both a positive and a negative:  positive because it is definitely more true to life to have characters who simply accept that their crappy decisions have led them to a particular moment; negative because in many cases (again, at least for me), fiction is about taking what would really happen and making it better in some way, with grander insights or more hope for the future.  The dismal note on which the book concludes left me wondering what I'd just spent some 700 pages and numerous hours on.  If I wanted to see a portrait of a dysfunctional family, I'd look around at my own or those of my friends and neighbors; or else I'd read one of the many better literary presentations of such a family. 

Sorry to disappoint, but the Franzen fan train is more than free to leave the station without me.

Final Harry Potter trailer ever. That's right, ever.

This is the final trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (so many sad faces).  It looks even more epic than the previous trailers, even if the music is a little too reminiscent of that other fantasy series that came out a few years back (I think there may have been a bearded wizard in that one too...).  Honestly though, I am so excited for this movie--I'm usually able to spot at least a couple of things in the previews that seem like the filmmakers might have messed up, but to this point with this film I really haven't, and that is such a happy thing for a truly devout fan of the books.

Only 29 days left until the movie!  I'm sure to have more thoughts before that time, including a look back at some of the best moments these films have given us over the past decade.

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

As indicated in my post about what I'll be reading this summer, this series is one that was a last-minute addition, with the first novel forcibly thrust into my possession by my younger sister.  It took me about three days to get through, and I appreciated that-- Larsson's awareness that he isn't writing the next great novel is apparent, and the prose is clean-cut and direct.  There is a lot of hype going around about these books, and probably innumerable unsolicited opinions being published about them on the web, so I'll keep my thoughts as brief and spoiler-free as possible.

Speaking of spoiler-free, maybe I'm more of a sleuth than I originally thought, but I was able to predict large portions of this book prior to actually reading them.  The only thing I got completely wrong was the identity of the murderers, and in my opinion that was due to a mislead on Larsson's part.  It's true that I am usually predisposed to dismiss many mystery writers, because the standards for writing don't seem nearly as high, and many of them are very formulaic, but I will acknowledge that this is one of the better books I've read in this genre.  It was sophisticated and obviously well thought-out, and in many ways the perfect breezy summer read (well, despite the grisly nature of some of--okay, most of--the crime's content).

One thing I did have a problem with, however, and this is most likely because of how much people were hyping it up prior to my reading it, was the characterization of the two protagonists.  Blomkvist, the intrepid reporter, is flat and at times downright uninteresting as a person; he is kept afloat in my mind by the intriguing nature of the crime which he investigates over the course of the novel.  He was frankly kind of a lame hero, and there were times when it irked me to have to read so many pages of his thoughts and actions.  And though she was much more badass than any of the other characters, for me Lisbeth Salander was problematic as well.  I loved a lot of the things we learned about her prior to her teaming up with Blomkvist, and I think Larsson does a wonderful job making it clear why she is necessary and perhaps even the ideal person to help solve this case.  However, her [SPOILER ALERT] subsequent romance with Blomkvist, and particularly the note the book concludes on, seem much too weak for such a previously strong character.  The revelation that she thinks she's in love with Blomkvist is abrupt and fairly cliche, and it cast her too much in the mold of the typical female sidekick/love interest, which considering the compelling backstory and development of her character to that point, is a huge shame.

The mystery itself was my favorite part.  I loved trying to keep track of all the Vanger family relatives and figure out who had committed the crime in this "locked-room" whodunit; it just felt very old school in a way, like this could have been a revamping of a nineteenth century Russian story, complete with an old manor and an almost unbelievably odd cast of characters.  I was invested in the question of what had happened to Harriet (though my initial hypothesis did prove correct), and I enjoyed taking the journey with Blomkvist to uncover the past, even though I suspected how it might play out.  I could have done without the last chunk of the book (which details the aftermath once the mystery has already been solved), but overall this was a pretty good read, and definitely a great way to ease into some of the denser reading I have planned for myself this summer.

I will probably read the two subsequent novels, but I think I'll read a few other things to sort of cleanse my palate in between.  I am also very interested in taking a look at the film adaptations of this book, because I've heard nothing but rave reviews of the Swedish version, and of course I'm always intrigued to see what David Fincher (who is directing the American interpretation) has up his sleeve.

The Summer Reading Run-Down

All the proverbial dust has settled (save for the dust in my temporary bedroom, which has collected considerably in my absence), and all the graduation craziness is finally over.  That means a lot of things, but one of the better ones is this:  it's summer reading time!

I like to hold myself accountable by posting a list/telling people what I'm planning on reading.  I actually read the majority of last summer's list and reviewed a few of the books on my Tumblr, so this seems like  a tradition to continue.  Additionally, it's amusing (probably only to me) that my blogging goes through phases based on the availability of television.  I probably won't write about my usual shows (unless some kind of crazy news breaks) until they come back in September, which leaves much more time and energy for slightly more cultured things.  (I'm using the term "cultured" loosely, as it will refer primarily to me reading books and perhaps visiting parks.)

Here it is:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (series, and at the insistence of my sister, who won't shut up about them)
Notes from Underground
The Idiot
100 Years of Solitude
His Dark Materials (series)
A Tale of Two Cities
Things Fall Apart
Dead Souls
Sons and Lovers
Remembrance of Things Past
Infinite Jest
Freedom
Middlemarch
Madame Bovary
The Last Tycoon

Naturally, this is only the first chunk of a much larger list (I am an English major, after all), so in the miraculous event that I make it through all of these in a timely fashion, I'll be updating promptly with more titles.  And of course, I am forever open to new suggestions to add to the list!

A Series Finale

I've finally figured out what this whole graduating/moving/leaving all my friends behind feels like.  It feels like the series finale of a television show, a quirky comedy perhaps, but one with a lot of heart.  The ratings haven't always been great but it has a loyal viewership who keep coming back, and now it's time for everyone to say goodbye.

No, we haven't been in a Sideways afterlife the whole time.  And no, no one is going to be chasing anyone to try and catch them at the airport, no one is grappling with life-altering career shuffling or relationship revelations.  But it's still an ending, and I think it's been a pretty great one.  This has been a week of "lasts", of visiting old haunts one more time, of drinking because we only have the excuse of college for a few more days, of spending time together obsessively because we're each afraid the others will disappear before we've gotten the chance to say goodbye.

As with any finale, we've had the essential moments.  The party scene, where everyone just gets drunk and miraculously nothing too regrettable happens.  Appearances from some old friends, guest stars now who've moved on to bigger and better things.  And many, many truly touching moments, moments of honesty and farewell, moments of hugs and tears, moments in which we acknowledge to ourselves that this could be The End, with capital letters.  There have been music montages, nostalgic conversations that always begin "hey, remember that time?", and major decisions that hang in the balance.  And there have been laughs-- lots of laughs, because no real comedy worth its salt can go out on a completely somber note.

Do I wish the show's run could've gone on longer?  Absolutely.  I could have been a part of this for the rest of my life, and it would have been enough.  But change is inevitable, and I knew one day this would conclude.  I don't know what's next, and I don't know all the tiny ways this experience will show its influence in the future.  What I do know, though, and what I'll always remember, is this time, now.  I'll remember this ending, and the knowledge that whatever the final lines turn out to be, it will have ended exactly the way it was always supposed to.  And I will be grateful for every moment of this experience, of every person whose name comes to mind as the proverbial credits roll.

Thank You Notes

My time in Seattle is rapidly drawing to a close, and this has been a time of copious reflection.  I've already penned a much more wistful post for tomorrow (the big day), but I also wanted to take the time to express all of the gratitude that I find myself so full of at this moment.  Naturally, I've decided to do it in the silliest possible format, with some "thank you" notes, a la Jimmy Fallon (incidentally, if you haven't seen said segment on his show, you are missing out).  Here goes:

Thank you, hipsters.  In my time here you have made it clear to me that I may be an elitist in some respects, but I'm not anywhere near as bad as I could be.

Thank you, Seattle Public Library, for never allowing my accrued fines to stop me from checking out books.  Your check is, as they say, in the mail.

Thank you, Housing Department of Seattle University, for giving me a taste of what living in a nice, three-bedroom apartment in a safe neighborhood feels like.  As a woman about to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, I have a sneaking suspicion it's going to be a while before I experience this kind of luxury again.

Thank you, restaurants of Seattle, for having some of the most delicious cuisine on the planet.  My waistline and wallet dislike you immensely, but my taste buds do not.

Thank you, hills of Seattle, for the inevitable wave of laziness I'll be experiencing when I walk the flat streets of Chicago once again.

Thank you, Seattle rain, for teaching me that no, I cannot pull off the "casually drenched but still sexy" look.

Thank you, professors of Seattle University, for being pretty okay, but also showing me that in many cases, a doctorate comes with a heaping side dish of pretentiousness.  Additionally, thank you for either remaining ignorant or simply looking the other way when I've tried to pass off complete bullshit as an academic assignment.

Thank you, Blogger/Tumblr/Twitter/Facebook/StumbleUpon, for successfully distracting me from so much work.  I am sure you will continue to serve me well, even when I get a "real" job.

Thank you, Student Events & Activities Council, for compelling me to choose between putting 100% of my efforts into school or into extracurriculars and socializing.  I'm pretty sure I made the right choice.

Thank you, Seattle University, for giving me an education that, despite my lack of a plan, has left me feeling very much prepared for whatever comes my way.

Thank you Seattle, Washington, for being the home I've never felt I had until I came here.

And finally, thank you, all of my friends, for being the very best partners-in-crime a girl could ask for.  Thank you for putting up with all of my nonsense and endless stream of sarcasm, and thank you for teaching me so much more than you will ever realize.