Thursday, July 26, 2007 [ 9:08 AM ]

WELL DONE JKR (no spoilers here)

An hour had passed since I finished reading the Deathly Hollows and during that time I am thinking of how to describe the final installment of the Harry Potter series. Obviously, I can’t find the right words to describe its excellence. I can’t even imagine how should I tell my friends (who don’t read the book but interested to know the story anyway) the great climax of the story if they asked me how the series was ended.

The little disappointment I felt in the Order of the Phoenix film was overwhelmingly covered by the series’ impressive ending. No wonder why Jo says it is her favorite of the seven books and I can’t agree more. The combination of exceptional actions, brilliant humor, dazzling magical scenes, incredible storyline and the glittering emotional touch has been perfectly written. I can say that Jo poured the right amount of ingredients into her cauldron to produce a potion that most of us will never forget.

A lot of predictions have been proven correct but no one really expected how the twists of the story will turn out. Some vague parts may have been left unanswered but I don’t think major points have been missed. Everything was clear and every legitimate question in the series has been answered. Let’s admit it, not all questions are valid and the author is not responsible of answering all of them. I don’t think questions like who the parents of Lily and James are and what are their occupations should be answered, the same way that questions about the husband of Rowena Ravenclaw should just be left in the readers’ imagination. It would need another seven-book-series or more for all of those to be answered.

The book can never really please everyone but it can’t be denied that almost everyone felt its impact. It stirred curiosity to people even for those who doesn’t really read books and that’s a good thing. Harry Potter gave encouragement to both children and adult to read the series and even to explore other book genre in the hope of finding something worth reading.
In a time where movies are blockbusters and people are lured to watching a spoon feeding films, it is nice to know that a book can still find its way on the top of the hit list. The creative thinking and meticulous instinct that books gave to readers should always be a warning to film makers to stop fooling us with special effects and give us something sensible instead. (I hope that they give justice to the Deathly Hollows when they put it to film)

What else can I say but two thumbs up for J.K Rowling! Blimey, it’s wicked!

EDIT : For those who have more questions about the epilogue, JKR provides us with additional information about some characters here. (Now you can expect spoilers from it)
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Thursday, July 19, 2007 [ 11:34 AM ]

SPOILERS ARE KILL JOYS

I really don’t know what spoilers get from spoiling a movie, an event or a book by telling the world what will or will not happen in the end.

As the most awaited release of the final installment of the Harry Potter series comes close (just more than a day left and counting) many book spoilers are roaming around the web today claiming that they managed to hack Jo’s computer. They have spread themselves to fan sites and forums telling about what will happen in the book.

They have the right to do that of course but what can they get from it? Now come to think of it, they don’t have the right. The book is covered by copyright restrictions and any unauthorized distribution of it, partial or full, is punishable by law. The only thing I think they can get from it is spending years behind bars, at least ideally.

As Jo said in her website, there is no point spoiling the book. It will not prevent readers from buying it but it will just lessen the fun of finding out what will happen as you read it. In her latest update, Jo called for book fans to keep the secret of the Deathly Hollows intact until its release on the 21st.

“We are almost there! As launch night looms, let's all, please, ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press on the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'd like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day. In a very short time you will know EVERYTHING!”

Before, I like spoilers, particularly movie spoilers because I’m not going to watch them anyway so might as well know what will happen at least. But now I hate it. Just imagine the long wait we’ve had then it will just be spoiled by people who don’t have anything to do but to ruin the excitement.

I am not referring to those people whom you personally know and excitedly tell the story of a movie or a book they’ve just seen or read. Its personal matters. What I am referring to are those people whom you don’t even know and insist to tell you something you don’t want to hear.
If they are getting money from that I don’t know. They can have predictions alright and they can even post their spoilers on their sites. But to post it in an ordinary fan site where almost anyone who goes there can accidentally read it is foul. Some sites’ forums and comments sections are not regulated so it will be too late before readers know that what they are reading is a spoiler.

Let me say what I think about this people. Maybe they are those being bullied at school in their kindergarten and belong to the “they-have-no-friends-because-they-are-nerds-group”. They are those who always envy happy people because they can’t be happy themselves. Kill joys on the loose.

(As a precautionary move against the inconsiderate spoilers, Mugglenet temporarily closed their interactive site until Tuesday)
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007 [ 7:18 AM ]

PHOENIX

I just saw the Order of the Phoenix and it was good. Especially the spectacular battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. Even Grawp was portrayed as a lovable and funny character than in the book. The fifth film was really nice…

Now, having said that….

It was also disappointing.

Maybe I’m just expecting too much because the OotP is really my favorite HP book so far. But still, the fact that it was the shortest HP film is an evident proof that it will leave viewers asking for more. Considering the fact that OotP is the longest book in the series, it wouldn’t really fit in such a short cinema time.

I know that a book cannot be really contained in a movie completely but I think they should have added at least 30 minutes more to get other significant events across.
There are events in the book that the director should have given more emphasis because they were quite vital to the plot.

I think they should have given more focus to the D.A. sessions and how its members excelled in their O.W.Ls. If not for the DA, they would not have passed their exams particularly in DADA, given how Umbridge conducteded her lessons.

I also think that they should have not deleted the part of the Quibbler interview made by Rita Skeeter. The way students hid those magazines after Umbridge banned it from Hogwarts is one of their rebellious acts against her. And besides, that is where most of them were convinced that Harry and Dumbledore are telling the truth ever since.
They also should have not made it look like it was Cho Chang who betrayed the D.A because she didn’t. I don’t like Cho but It was Marietta Edgecomb who did it not her. (and where’s the SNEAK part?)

It was really good in general but the Director should have not made it the way most directors do in filming a book. HP books have a wide readership so they should have expected that many of those who will watch the film already knows what will happen and they have a very high expectation. (Quidditch?)
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