Now Very Bad…

Tag: movies

Now Very Bat…75 years of Batman

Batman turned 75 years old earlier this year (2014). In recognition, we are rebranding our site for one week to Now Very Bat… and focusing on the blockbusters, the smaller films, the comics and the video games that feature the Dark Knight.

The first superhero I was aware of may have been Spider-Man. I remember seeing him in a department store as a kid – he gave me a Spidey ring that I may still have somewhere. I saw him on The Electric Company and maybe the newspaper. I will always have great affection for the web-slinger. And I loved Supes. I knew the music from Superman: The Motion Picture as well as any of John Williams works and still love the Man of Steel. (The man, not the movie Man of Steel – that sucked.) But Batman was always my favorite.

Partly it’s because he’s just a man. Incredibly strong billionaire, yes, but still just a human without superpowers. Partly it’s because he fashions himself as a detective. The idea that his first instinct when fighting crime is to use the same methods as the police somewhat lessens the vigilante stance. He uses his head more than his fists.

But more than anything, he’s just cool. He looks cool, he has cool gadgets, he hides in the dark and scares people. He was the first superhero to choose to do what he does; he had a backstory, not an atomic-era accident that turned him into something. That darkness is what keeps the character fresh.

Most of that darkness is thanks to Bill Finger. I won’t be reviewing it here, but check out the 2012 kids book Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman by Marc Tyler Nobleman & Ty Templeton. Amazing that it would take a children’s book to truly bring the full story of Bill Finger to life. As the title suggests, Bill was the unsung co-creator of Batman. His part in bringing to life one of the most popular and beloved comic characters of all time was unknown to most people, and even those who were aware there was a story there likely didn’t realize how instrumental he was.

The Batman figure and the Batmobile pictured here were left for me by the Tooth Fairy after I lost my first tooth!

Batman had the best writers and best storylines, and he had, by far, the best villains. The Joker is the single greatest comic book villain of all time, and the rest of Batman’s Rogues Gallery could successfully populate any other 5 series you name.

Over the 7 days, we’ll be looking at a Batman title in each of 4 categories: blockbuster film, other film, comic book & video game. So stay tuned to this Bat-Channel!

December 14, 2014
Now Very Beholder…40 years of Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons turned 40 years old in January of this year (2014). In recognition, we are rebranding our site for one week to Now Very Beholder… and focusing just on the films that star or in some way revolve around D&D.

I love Dungeons & Dragons. It was a big part of my life as a kid, it was one of the main ways I kept out of trouble as a teenager and despite not playing in years still holds great interest for me as an adult. I may not have had an active game in decades, but I still consider myself a D&D gamer. It’s the lens through which I view fantasy novels and films, and I still feel protective of the game and the way gamers are portrayed.

I was lucky to grow up in an open-minded, supportive town and school system that never fell in with the hysteria surrounding the supposed dangers of the game. I was even luckier to have two attentive, loving parents that not only weren’t swayed by the ridiculous claims that the game was dark, occult propaganda, but took the time to take an interest in what this thing was that my sister and I were so fascinated by. I remember a lot of miniatures under the Christmas tree in our house.

Games are important. Whether sports, board games, card games, tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), live action role-play (LARP), fantasy football, dice, or playing cops and robbers in the backyard, games are arguably human-kinds greatest pastime. Whether for diversion, entertainment or profession, engaging in games develops vital skills and abilities for life.

Many learned people more erudite than I can and have written pieces on how vital role-play is in the development of imagination, confidence, identity, strategic thinking, and emotional growth. I’ll just say that I consider RPGs in general and Dungeons & Dragons in specific fantastic tools in developing creative and interesting members of our society, regardless of how they experience or participate in the games.

But whether LARPing or sitting around a table, there’s something truly special about the human interaction that really is the root of all of these experiences. I am an avowed tech geek and have long wished for the creation of a great technological system for enabling people to belly up to a digital table and really recreate that experience. (There’s lots of workarounds and tools, but I have yet to see something that really works seamlessly and feels like a suitable replacement for meeting in my friend John’s basement with a group of friends.) But whether you’re in the same room or on different corners of the Earth, all that matters is the human connection.

It’s just a ton of fun. Play Pathfinder or Candyland. Just play…

December 8, 2014
Top 10 Favorite Movies, right now… #Top10
There’s a silly thing going around on Facebook at the moment (as if FB has any other type) where people are listing their ten favorite movies. My good friend Paul J. Anderson tagged me in it. He should know better – I don’t give out free samples. But, since he’s my brother from another mother and a founding member of the New Hong Kong Cavaliers (more to come on that soon…), I decided to post a list here.

It’s nearly impossible to list my favorite films and stick to 10 or even 20, but I’ll try to narrow it down to what works at this moment. It shifts around all the time, although some never leave the list. In order to have any chance of variety, I’m limiting it to one film per franchise – otherwise this list would probably just be a bunch of Star Wars & 007 movies. It’s so very hard to do:
- Are we picking desert island discs – things that we’d want if we could only keep 10 movies to last us the rest of our lives? Because I don’t need to see Clockers for the rest of my life, but it’s definitely one of my faves…
- Are we picking 10 movies that made the most difference in our lives? Because Click‘s focus on work/life priorities and the story it borrowed from It’s A Wonderful Life resonated deeply with me and I’m not even sure it’s a good movie – I sure wouldn’t put it in my top 100. (Although the Jimmy Stewart film would definitely be in the top 25…)
- Are we picking 10 movies that we feel tell people about us? Because then you feel obligated to include classic dramas and indie films to impress people. Makes me want to include The Searchers, Casablanca, Stranger Than Fiction and Dr. Strangelove.
- Or are we just trying to be different and support films that are left-field choices or simply didn’t get the recognition they deserve? I want people to know about movies like Mumford and Hero, Erik the Viking and Young Guns II, movies that either flew under the radar or ones that look terrible but are actually great.
- Then there are some that I simply can’t include because of fatigue; I may never watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail or This is Spinal Tap ever again, even though they are two of the greatest comedies of all time and used to be my favorites. Similarly, I don’t really need to include Jaws or Amadeus. Brilliant but I’ve seen them both dozens of times.
- Often I think my top ten has to be made up of movies that make me smile – movies that always make me happy. If that’s the criteria, it means that I can’t include Chinatown even though it’s one of my very favorite films of all time, simply because I can’t say I put it on to feel good. Similarly I want to include Run, Fatboy, Run, which certainly isn’t one of my favorite all-time movies, but it’s making me disproportionately happy right now…
- A lot of times a movie sticks with me because a scene or piece of dialogue keeps echoing in my brain, and that’s what I think I’m going to go with here…
So here’s the list as of today – my top 10 favorite movies, mostly meaning ones that make me happy and have huge rewatch appeal – this list will necessarily lean towards comedies and feel-good adventures. Surprisingly, a lot of the movies and franchises I enjoy watching a ton of times aren’t on here at all, like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Alien, and none of the comic book movies. The first five are sacrosanct – the others are the ones that can lose their place in the pecking order from time to time…

Top 10 Favorite Movies, at this particular moment… #Top10

and their 140-character review: #140RVW
1. Star Wars – has to top the list. It is my favorite movie of all time and always has been. The whole series makes me happy…
  
  #140RVW: Most enjoyable epic of all time? Yes. It has everything; adventure, wonder, emotion, jawas. 2 hours; perfect length. Never to be equaled…
2. WarGames – my 2nd favorite comfort-food movie (after SW). I never get tired of it.
  
  #140RVW: Tight & clever thriller works just as well today, but as 80’s time capsules go, they don’t come better than this. Quality makes it a classic
3. From Russia With Love – I love Bond movies. My top 5 shifts occasionally, but this is usually the one on top.
  
  #140RVW: 2nd time around they get everything right. Based off maybe the best novel, it’s my favorite Bond film. Red Grant is a rare credible villain.
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark – There are people who prefer other Indy movies. They are wrong…
  
  #140RVW: Maybe the greatest adventure film of all time (not counting ones with lightsabers). Lucas & Spielberg assemble a dream team of filmmakers…
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas – I admit this is in here more for the music and design than the actual film…
  
  #140RVW: Tim Burton’s passion project brought to life by Selick with incredible skill. Truly unique visual design. Elfman sings & scores his finest.
6. Horse Feathers – not the best Marx Brothers film (that would be Duck Soup), but it’s my favorite for the “swordfish” gag, Chico yelling “peanuts” and all four brothers performing “Everyone Says I Love You”
  
  #140RVW: Not greatest Marx Brothers film, but they were really comfortable on film at this point & it shows. Story really tight for once. #swordfish
7. Leap of Faith – this will probably be the most surprising choice on the list, but I really love this movie, mostly because of the whip-smart dialogue and heart.
  
  #140RVW: One of my all-time favorites; hear me out. Dialogue is smart & tight, cast delivers it well. They keep trying it on Broadway for a reason…
8. Say Anything… – A sentimental pick. At any time this can be shifted by High Fidelity, About A Boy, Love Actually, or Amélie but I will always love this one best.
  
  #140RVW: The highwater mark for all teen movies. Crowe becomes a director, Cusack a superstar, “In Your Eyes” the soundtrack for love forever more…
9. The Muppet Movie – impossible to watch this film and keep a smile off of your face. So far above standard kids’ fare it’s silly.
  
  #140RVW: At 6, I didn’t realize this was as good as kids movies were ever going to get; I just knew it was a great time. Still the high-water mark…
10. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – besides being littered with great lines from the book, it’s a beautifully made movie that always works.
  
  #140RVW: Don’t say it takes too many liberties with the story. This is the movie that Douglas Adams wanted to make; he wrote most of the screenplay.
Just outside the door and knocking:

these next ten could knock off any of the bottom five at any given moment
- Blade Runner – nothing was harder to leave off the list…
- Vertigo
- Chinatown
- A Hard Day’s Night
- Miller’s Crossing
- The Princess Bride
- Midnight Run
- The Prestige
- Big Trouble in Little China
- Superman: The Motion Picture
September 29, 2014
Now Very Bad’s 2014 Oscar Predictions…
The Academy asked me to hold off on my predictions for the 2014 Academy Awards until tonight so I wouldn’t influence the voters. I understand. So now, without further ado, here are my predictions for the March 2nd telecast of the Oscars:
- No one will ask a sensible question to an actress on the red carpet.
- Talented human beings will be ogled by millions of people who have no business criticizing them. But that’s still not as bad as the staff of the E! network…
- Ellen will do a much better hosting job than Seth MacFarlane because no other outcome is possible.
- Jack Nicholson and/or Louis Gosset Jr. will attend; for no reason whatsoever…
- A number of Americans will needlessly address Judi Dench as “Dame”. We’re not British, folks, you don’t need to use those honorifics.
- During the remembrance portion of the show where they pay respects to those who have died, the order & length of segments will be callously tilted in favor of those who were most popular, once again reminding us that we are not all equal, even in death…
- Salma Hayek and/or Penélope Cruz will be trotted out to present any foreign language awards, since they are evidently the only Latina actresses the Academy has ever hear of – and despite the fact that Spanish, while a beautiful language, is not the ONLY foreign language…
- At my daughter’s request, I’m noting that “Let It Go” is a mortal lock to win Best Original Song. And now she’s singing it. Again…
- Up until yesterday I’d have said Frozen was certain to win Animated Feature, but after seeing The Wind Rises this weekend, I’m going to have to change my prediction…
- That tool from U2 will wear silly glasses that will once again bruise my efforts to not pray for the spontaneous combustion of a fellow human being. They’ll also play a crappy Brian Eno rip-off…
- Producers will continue to not be given any awards, despite the fact that they are the ones who actually get these movies made.
March 2, 2014
Series – Harry Potter
140 characters can be a bit limiting, so from time-to-time I’ll do an expanded piece. This one is a look back at a series as a whole. We just rolled through all 8 movies in a fairly short span of time. So here are some extended thoughts on the series, not written as a cohesive article, just random notes typed in as we watched.

Warning: SPOILER-FILLED

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
- Richard Harris – really good to introduce the series, though it’s hard to imagine him appearing in the later movies.
- Why can’t George Lucas meddle with movies like these that were made at the moment when CG became accessible enough to be done inconsistently? This could use a revisit…
- Some good use of practical effects, but not enough.
- Stuart Craig designed this world beautifully; amazing…
- Gorgeous poster by Drew Struzan – oddly the only one in the series to be done by an illustrator. Why? No one creates these amazing paintings like Struzan, but there are many talented artists who could be used.
- So many great actors in this series; Richard Griffiths only one who could make the ridiculous character of Dursley believable.
- John Hurt should have a cameo in every single movie. Every one.
- John Williams score is lovely, although the theme is used so often it is ridiculous. Probably not his choice – I know John Barry hated the overuse of the James Bond theme. Of course, that may be because he claimed to have written it – and hadn’t…
- Great DP work by John Beale; wonder why he didn’t do any of the others.
- Man, these kids are so young…
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
- Kenneth Branagh having the most fun of his career, and with cause.
- More Weasleys is a good thing.
- Jason Isaacs is the best villain working today…
- Dobby; close cousin to Jar-Jar Binks…
- Too much of this storyline just goes nowhere. Try to find out something – doesn’t work. Try something else – doesn’t work. Boring…
- The whole diary thing is confusing. I don’t believe for one second that the author had figured out the whole 7 story horcrux thing when writing this; I don’t care what she says. It feels retconned. If not, it’s just bad writing…
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
- The high water mark of the series. Darker, cleaner and better in every way.
- Columbus did great job of setting the table, but Cuarón gave the series respect, art and depth. Had the courage to break from the slavish retelling of every detail fans of the book wanted and give them the story they needed. In so doing, gave everyone involved permission to let the films have their own life and voice.
- Cuarón had the benefit of having the child actors reach an age where they could be more involved in the creative process. David Thewlis provides an on-screen version of this; his thoughtful portrayal of Lupin is the first adult character to treat Harry (and Radcliffe) as as a respected contemporary.
- Dementors introduce a seriously dark air; very well designed…
- Michael Gambon begins his run as Dumbledore; brings a down-to-earth, active vitality to role. Want him to say, “Welcome to the Layer Cake, Mr. Potter”.
- The iris transitions between scenes is a really nice touch…
- Emma Thompson nails it, as usual…
- John Williams turns in his last score for the series – and it’s got some great cues.
- A lot of the joy of this one is seeing the kids start to come into their own as actors. Given some rope by the director and they run with it. Makes watching the rest of the movies fun as they continue to mature.
- Not a short movie, but it moves along at a great clip.
- What can be said about Oldman that hasn’t been said? He’s brilliant in this.
- Time travel is always a cheap plot device, but it’s fun here.
- I love the end credits…
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
- Real slow starter; not slow, exactly, just a bit hard to get into. They sort of thrust you into the story as though they’re in a rush to get through the setup as quickly as possible, which is of course exactly the case…
- You can feel the pages absolutely peeling away; I can visualize them huddled around the book, ripping pages out in handfuls…
- What’s with the haircuts?
- Brendan Gleeson is so good in this, as always. The scene of his first class is brilliant.
- David Tennant, on the other hand, must have been really confused when he turned up; “What, is this all you want me to do?” Couldn’t they have found something meatier for him?
- Dragon is a real highlight.
- The “Dance Like a Hippogriff” song is up there with the Cyndi Lauper Goonies song and the Dragnet rap as worst movie tie-in music ever…
- Underwater challenge ok, but probably not worth all the time they spent filming it.
- Maze is really good; seemed anti-climatic in the book, but they really brought the terror in the situation to life in film.
- Fleur is portrayed as kind of a weakling; don’t remember if this was so in the book.
- Can’t lie – watching Twilight buy it doesn’t suck…
- Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort – genius casting, design and execution. Legendary new movie villain. Love how he just throws himself into the role; the dancing around, the movements, yelling along to the screams – all great. Good choice to lose the snake eyes…
- First real serious wizard fighting – awesomesauce…
- Spoiler: I think it’s really sloppy writing that they tie up a plot point by having Moody missing from the whole story. So you learn all about this character and Harry forms a bond with him, and then it turns out that in fact it is one of the villains that we’ve been watching for the entirety of the story. Cute, but doesn’t that mean that actually we’re rooting for a bad guy and that Harry hasn’t even met the guy that he’s supposedly so close to?
- Wish Cuarón returned as director; they asked him…
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- Yates kicks off the last half of the series with gorgeous cinematography; establishes look and feel of the rest of the movies. Great choice, by the way.
- Dementors so cool…
- Thank goodness for the return of Oldman, Thewlis & Walters. Missed in the last one…
- Opens up the story to a broader world than just the school – very welcome.
- Would have loved to see where the series could have gone if they spent more time with the adults; could have been very interesting.
- Radcliffe really comes into his own in this one – real range of emotions; nicely channels anger and resentment and makes you sense his growing apart from the other characters. Gives Grint & Watson a chance to elevate their game, too.
- Introduction of some real fan faves in this one – Tonks is fun, but Evanna Lynch really nails Luna Lovegood – a much needed character of levity and insight.
- Imelda Staunton is so unpleasant to watch – that’s a compliment.
- Like the whole newspaper headline thing, but it’s a touch overdone.
- Score for this one by Nicholas Hooper is superb.
- Scene with Thestrals in woods is a great one and very different feel.
- The face in the fire effect is unsatisfactory, but still heaps better than in the last movie.
- About an hour in, with the training, the movie really hits a great pace.
- Christmas scene with Sirius heartbreaking.
- Helena Bonham Carter: they finally found something she was perfect for…
- Grawp – what is that about? Example of things better left out of the adaptations.
- Department of Mysteries sets very cool.
- The MacGuffin in this doesn’t make a ton of sense; didn’t Voldemort know about this prophecy years ago? Isn’t that why he went to kill Harry in the first place?
- Excellent fighting, but with all magic movies I always bristle at the lack of consistency; so you have to shout out some command when you cast a spell, unless it’s during a big set-piece, in which case we just all start doing indiscriminate things that have effects we haven’t seen so far? I always want to ask for a sourcebook so I know the rules; maybe a couple of D20’s, too…
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
- Nice dark opening – good tie-in to previous film.
- Like the tone immediately; light hearted, not heavy-handed, despite or possibly because of the subject matter. For all that, it’s still very moody, of course…
- Thought this book was terribly dull, so very surprised how much I enjoy this movie
- Can’t think why they wasted the time/money on putting the Muggle house back together – a total show-off scene.
- Jim Broadbent among the best casting choices in a long series of great casting choices.
- Bruno Delbonnel such a great DP. Would have been nice to see him do more of these. A little too much color timing for my taste, but that’s very much in vogue at the moment – unfortunately…
- The whole blooming love thing is charming. Ginny becomes my favorite character in the whole series in this movie.
- But Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy is the most interesting in the movie – kid has some depth to him. Sadly he’ll likely never get the chance to show it.
- Set design much more varied in this one; really see different look and the claustrophobic sets help to tell the story.
- Music by Nicholas Hooper fantastic; really in the groove now.
- The whole pensieve /memory effect has certainly been perfected by this point.
- Michael Gambon flexes skills here…
- Young Fiennes actors are uncanny…
- Return of Quidditch; about time – missing from previous two movies (and next two).
- Luna’s lion hat – best prop ever…
- Great moment on the steps after match – Watson shows why she’s got a bright future.
- Very good transitions in this and all of the movies.
- Lots of good quiet moments, small details in corners.
- Mr. Weasley is one of my daughter’s favorite characters, and I see the appeal; the character has an understated strength, manifested in the way he treats the children and Mark Williams is excellent.
- Visually cool scene of attack in the marsh by the Weasleys, although it makes no real sense; probably because it wasn’t in the book.
- The vanishing cabinet is nicely utilized; in fact, all the Room of Requirement stuff makes for very good thematic moments.
- The liquid luck sequence is a ton of fun.
- I read at the time this came out an interesting insight, think it may have been in EW, but not sure; noted that since the story is so much about what happens at the end, that you don’t notice that it’s really the only thing that happens in the story. Not totally true, but not exactly libel…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
- Rusting WB logo – cool
- Bill Nighy finally gets into the series. Great but somewhat wasted in tiny role.
- Dynamite beginning, showing the big 3 readying themselves to leave. Particularly Hermione wiping her parents memories; sends notice that this is going to be rough…
- I know fans wanted the Dudley stuff in there, but it really belongs deleted.
- This whole wand fascination borders on fanaticism.
- Is it just me or is Rickman’s wig more ridiculous with each movie?
- The big question, of course, is “did this need to be 2 movies”. Of course not; squeezing extra movie out of franchise? Maybe, but they could just as easily have done that with the past few books, too.
- The biggest thing about the movies is the same as with the book; the whole first half of the book is dead boring because the characters have such crap plans. That’s not the fault of the screenwriter, it’s just that the character’s lack of vision feels like the storyteller’s lack of vision.
- Never understood why they’ve got this Mundungus character; why would you entrust the job to someone you had to coerce? This whole plan is sort of ridiculous, actually. They can’t apparate because Harry is underage and he’d what, get expelled? So what? Not to mention that as soon as he starts defending himself he’s using magic and so would be detected just the same. And if they knew where he was going, why does that matter? They’d probably guess, anyway.
- Hedwig. Heartbreaking in print and even worse on film.
- Rhys Ifans is perfect as Lovegood.
- The whole Dumblebore story is much more interesting in the book. Amazing that they still couldn’t make it work in this much screen time.
- Seeing these characters in modern London is funny.
- Great moment when Hermione has to wipe memories of the thugs with the parallel to what she had to do to her parents. Even cooler in the book is the fact that the other 2 don’t realize what she has had to do; what going underground has cost her – more than any of them.
- Thank goodness for the return of John Hurt, even briefly.
- Why are they sleeping on couches in a house full of bedrooms?
- The Kreacher effects are truly superb. The skin tone and luminosity is among the best I’ve seen.
- The whole Snatcher thing isn’t really explained, but it’s not any clearer in the book. These guys look like they’re in some crap English band. Probably are…
- Love Harry as Fitzy from The Departed…
- Eduardo Serra great cinematography on both films. Don’t know why they keep changing, though.
- The scene of them trying to destroy what they know they can’t destroy is as meaningless as the same scene in Superman: The Movie.
- The radio theme is interesting exposition tool…
- Some really good moments of Ron becoming alienated. Great to be rid of him for awhile. Let the smart kids work, Ron…
- Godric’s Hollow one of better locations/sets. Does lead me to wonder, not for the first time, are we in magic town or are the wizards and muggles living side-by-side? Never adequately explained in books.
- How can you live through so many near-death experiences and still have no spidey-sense? They walk into a lot of dumb situations…
- Snake attacks, Hermione loses battle with stack of books…
- Harry kind of a jerk about his wand being broken; hey, tough guy, smart girl saved your life…
- Piece of mirror is a recurring plot point, but I don’t even remember where it came from.
- Pound for pound, the “accio” spell seems to be the least useful, but they keep trying it…
- Not sure I fully understand some of these plot points even long after the fact. Who puts the sword there? And why do they put it in the water?
- Tale of the Three Brothers animation is so creative; perfect way of advancing story.
- This running scene is visually interesting, but of course neglects the fact they have magic.
- As plot devices go, not recognizing the most famous and wanted person in your world because they have an allergic reaction is pretty weak…
- Dobby has no master…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- Glad they didn’t bother with trying to summarize what had happened up to this point…
- Thanks for more Warwick Davis! And more John Hurt…
- They do a good job with exposition in the early scenes.
- Helena Bonham-Carter frumping around like a pouty teenager is her best acting job yet.
- What do we think about the Chosen One using Unforgivable Curses? Not the first time, either.
- I love the security guards – baseball hats & wands…
- They must have been planning an amusement park ride when designing these trolleys.
- The multiplying treasure was one of the better ideas in this book.
- I love dragons. Great visuals…
- Ciarán Hinds has some of the worst makeup ever as Aberforth Dumbledore.
- Neville steps up, big-time…
- Sending 1/4 of the students to the dungeons? Seems harsh. The whole “Slytherin is evil” thinking is the most obvious sign this is based on a kids book. Such black & white thinking.
- Oh, but it’s ok for the head of Slytherin to be out protecting the school? If memory serves, he was stuck in the dungeons in the book. Of course, he wasn’t played by Jim Broadbent at that point…
- Kelly Macdonald is a nice add to the series; one more in a series of under-used actors.
- Romance…
- The shield effects are really cool. All the visuals are.
- Full-on battle is exactly what you hoped it would be. Epic in a way most modern effects movies don’t manage. Good combination of practical effects, set dressing and CG. Take notes, kids…
- Room of Requirement is a writer’s crutch on the level of time travel and cloning; lets you explain/justify ANYTHING…
- “That’s my girlfriend, you numpties!” Eloquent…
- Boathouse is a neat addition.
- Really cool how they just sort of show everyone in the fight, albeit quickly. Ties it all together.
- If Voldemort has to kill Snape, why does he have the snake do it; doesn’t that defeat the purpose? Isn’t Nagini now the master of the elder wand?
- “Look at me.” Nice touch.
- Brutal showing of the cost of the battle. Taking new parents Lupin & Tonks just cruel…
- Why do they keep changing the look of the Pensieve?
- Why do they go to the trouble of digitally making Rickman younger but having Dumbledore remain the same age?
- Still have no idea what the significance of having the Resurrection Stone here is. If these people are in his heart, why does he need stone?
- Great acting by Radcliffe here – kid willingly going to his death.
- King’s Cross scene well done.
- Neville the Snake-killer!
- Great final duel, flying all over.
- I like the coda; I think it’s nice.
December 2, 2013