Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

After reading all the seven Harry Potter books, honey and I have been so looking forward to finally get to see them on the big screen. I was disappointed when the latest instalment, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’s premier was moved from last year to this year. You can just imagine our excitement when we were finally buying our tickets online to finally see this much awaited film.

I’ve read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince years ago so I’ve had forgotten a lot of the details in the story. However, one thing that I haven’t forgotten is how much I enjoyed leafing through the pages as I explore Harry’s adventures and misadventures with him in another year of his stay at Hogwart’s. I was so tempted to reread the book before going to the movies, after all I was home on sick leave the very same day that the movie premiered and had time to spare, but as the call of slumber was much stronger on my tired body than the urge to relive the book, I gave in to the call of the bed and slept the day away. After seeing the movie, I think not rereading the book was all for the best, I was thrilled to see each scene in the film and was excited as each part of the movie unfolds without me tying to mentally recall the next things that I have read in the book.

The movie was great! I daresay that this is the Harry Potter movie I enjoyed the most beating the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone out of my number one. We were even treated to about 15 minutes of 3D as we watched it on IMAX and the first few scenes were on 3D. The movie was funny, exciting, heart warming, it contained everything that I’m looking for in a good movie. I can’t believe how much the actors have grown over the years. It made me look back to the time when honey and I saw the very first movie together, we were still in college then.

Of course, I browsed through the book after watching the movie and although there were scenes that I would have loved to see on the movie, this film is definitely a gem and worth watching.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Revisited

Viewing the trailer of the upcoming movie, Twilight starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, among others, has built up the anticipation at the pit of my stomach. I can’t get over how cute Robert Pattinson is. I can’t stop myself from letting out an ear splitting, goose bump raising, high pitched scream of …. “He is so cuuuutttee!” which earned me an amazed/worried look on Honey’s face as he hurriedly went out of the kitchen to check if I was choking or something. (Haha!)

I remember Robert Pattinson as Cedrick Diggory from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, however, I am surprised that he didn’t leave an impression on me, after all I have seen that movie dozens of times. Come Friday evening, I was still burning with the Twilight fever, so to see more of Edward (Robert Pattinson), I clutched the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire DVD on my way to the bedroom and told Honey we should watch it again for the nth time. Being a Harry Potter fan himself, there were no contests.

The movie was just how I remember it, there seem to be a bleakness that surrounded the film from start to finish. I feel that the entire movie is too heavy and sad, however, comparing the movie with the book itself, I think the movie was able to impart a lighter ending to the sequel than what was actually depicted in the book. One of my favorite scenes is the Yule Ball, I liked the fact that Hermione was able to captivate the attention of Viktor (Krum) and I loved her look as she trailed down the stairs to meet him. All the challenges in the Tri Wizard tournament were all so exciting particularly the dragon challenge. This film has everything that a viewer can ask for, romance, thrills, struggles, funny moments and so much more. I have been entertained by this picture over and over again.

I think the reason why I never really noticed Cedrick Diggory is because there are just too many new interesting characters and too many developments going on at the same time. Watching the movie, this time paying close attention to Cedrick’s character, I think he did great given the limited scenes that he had. He has a certain charisma that is subtle and yet enigmatic. There is also something mysterious about his childish grin.

I am convinced that Robert Pattinson will definitely shine if given room to truly show what he’s got and Twilight is his chance. I am keeping all my fingers (and toes!) crossed that the film will also be shown here in good old Amsterdam on the 21st of November.

Twilight photo from here