But I went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince last week and I HAVE to write up my thoughts! I liked it (but didn’t LOVE it). I think I’m getting old because I really wanted to go to a midnight showing (love the crowd, the anticipation, etc) but was too tired after work. Heh.

I sat next to a pair of IDIOTS who talked the ENTIRE TIME. I couldn’t actually hear their conversation but I don’t think they were even trying to whisper. UGH. Why pay $11 for a movie and then not even pay attention? You can talk outside for FREE.

Anyway.

First off, they really had to cut A LOT. And I know that’s the nature of adapting the book to a movie but if I wasn’t a fan, I don’t know how I would follow along!

I guess I should cut for spoilers?

Things I Loved
1. Dan, Rupert, and Emma’s chemistry… you can tell they all have a great relationship with one another and it trickles down to their characters.
2. The Humor. This one seemed to have lots of subtle humorous moments. One moment that I remember in particular was when Harry took the Felix Felicis potion and Professor Slughorn said “Harry” indignantly and Harry turned to him and snarked “Professor!” in a mocking tone. Loved that. Lavendar Brown was also hilarious. As was Professor McGonagall when she told Harry to “take Mr. Weasley with you. He looks far too happy.” Hee.
3. Professor Slughorn and Young Tom Riddle. Jim Broadbent and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin were pretty darn perfect.
4. The entire cave scene was really well done. I TOTALLY knew the Inferi were coming but I STILL jumped when they reached up and dragged Harry into the lake.
5. My favorite scene was after Dumbledore’s death… Professor McGonagall lit her wand and raised it in the air and the other students and teachers followed suit to eradicate the Dark Mark that was over the castle.

Things I Didn’t Care For
I guess I’ll start with some minor nitpicks…
1. Bonnie Wright’s acting. She’s such a cutie but she’s just NOT the Ginny I imagined. She’s not as charming or charismatic as the Ginny I envisioned while reading the books.
2. The casting of Narcissa. She just doesn’t look like Narcissa! I always imagined Nicole Kidman — she’s beautiful and can do scornfully arrogant very well.

And more significant nitpicks…
3. The Burrows burning down. It doesn’t even happen in the book!
4. The Half-Blood Prince storyline and Snape’s reveal to Harry was a huge disappointment. It almost seemed inconsequential when it’s not – it’s an important part of understanding Snape’s conflicts, motivations and ultimate allegiance. And there was no real confrontation with Harry at all after Dumbledore’s death – it was such a throwaway scene.
5. The “battle” at Hogwarts when Harry was standing below not doing a thing while Dumbledore was being attacked – it is SO out of character for Harry to do absolutely nothing. Book Harry is petrified (I think) by Dumbledore so he can’t do anything and isn’t seen. I can usually understand minor changes to make the movie flow better but this is a HUGE change! It makes no sense to me.

All in all, it was a good movie but it definitely felt like a build-up to the next two movies. It’s too bad because the end of Half-Blood Prince is powerful and climactic on its own. I hope to watch it again soon but for now, I think I’m due for a re-read.

There was nothing on last night besides American Idol so I watched it. I realized I haven’t watched it regularly in over 2 seasons. I kinda felt out of touch. I actually forgot how painful it can be watching the show live. Eek. Katharine McPhee was there as a guest. She is freaking gorgeous. Ugh. Hate her. (Just kidding, kind of).

I just read about the decision to split up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into 2 movies. They should just make 1 movie (even if it’s lengthy) and be done with it. Thumbs down.

I’m at work right now and cannot focus on anything so I have decided to do this meme. Stolen from Nicola…

01. What time did you get up this morning?
6:45am… far later than usual. So of course, I was running around like a crazy person trying to leave the apartment on time. When Rob’s out of town, I have to take a bus to the train station and that thing does not come all that often.
02. Diamonds or pearls?
Both please. Thanks.
03. What was the last movie you saw?
It’s been awhile. I *think* the last movie I saw was Enchanted. I totally want to see The Other Boleyn Girl and also Step Up 2 (shut up ). But I bet I won’t see any movies in the theatre until the summer blockbusters are released.
04. Where is the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?
Paris. I have a love affair with the city.
05. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Either cereal (Cheerios) or oatmeal. And also tea — I particularly love the Strawberry Cream tea from Coffee Bean. Some Fridays I’ll treat myself to a nonfat Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks for making it through the work week.
06. What is your middle name?
Lachica. It’s my mom’s maiden name.
07. What food do you dislike?
I don’t like anything slimy. This includes okra and uni (sea urchin).
08. What is your favorite CD?
Probably the Rent soundtrack (original Broadway cast version). With *N Sync’s No Strings Attached as a close second. HEE.
09. What kind of car do you drive?
No car for me. :/
10. Favorite sandwich?
I love pastrami sandwiches. Mmmm. I also really like turkey and avocado on a croissant. YUM.

11. What characteristics do you despise?
I’ve never really thought about it… maybe self-absorption, selfishness.
12. Favorite item of clothing?
Jeans. If I could, I would wear them to work every day.
13. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go?
EVERYWHERE. But really, my travel to do list has Australia at the top. I also want to visit New Zealand, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, Greece… and pretty much all the other countries in Europe I haven’t seen.
14. What color is your bathroom?
Light green and tan.
15. Favorite brand of clothing?
Banana Republic. It’s not the most fashion forward but I like that I can get clothes for work and the weekends in one place.
16. Where would you retire?
I have no idea.
17. What was your most memorable birthday?
It’s a tie between my 16th and 18th. For my 16th, I had a party at my house — invited lots of friends, my family prepared tons of food, and I had a DJ in the backyard so we could all dance. I don’t remember a lot of the details from that night but I know I was really happy. I celebrated my 18th during my first year in college and I was terribly homesick. My family and my friend Robyn came to visit. I don’t think we did anything special but just having them around was so nice.
18. Favorite sport to watch?
I’m such a girl but it’s a tie between figure skating and gymnastics. I’m so excited this is an Olympics year!
19. Furthest place you are sending this?
Uhhh…
20. Who do you expect to repost this?
No one…
21. Person you expect to repost first?
…
22. Favorite saying?
That I actually say? I can’t think of one right now.
23. When is your birthday?
October 11.
24. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night person, definitely. I am very grumpy in the morning.
25. What is your shoe size?
6 or 6.5
26. Pets?
YES! A little shih-tzu named Diesel.
27. What did you want to be when you were little?
I wanted to be a professional ballerina up until high school when I realized there is no money in a dancing career.
28. What are you today?
Media Buyer.
29. What is your favorite candy?
Sour Patch Kids! And chocolate-covered gummi bears. Oh! And Scotchmallows from See’s.
30. What is your favorite flower?
Roses (particularly in pink!), ranunculus, and stephanotis. Pretty! All of these will be in my bridal bouquet.
31. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
My wedding!
32. What are you listening to right now?
Britney Spears’s Blackout album. I’m loving it.
33. What was the last thing you ate?
I had a canned Campbell’s chicken and wild rice soup for dinner.
34. Do you wish on stars?
No.
35. Do you believe in Angels?
Mmm… I think I do. Or at least I believe in the idea of Angels.
36. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
PINK!
37. Pet peeves?
Mmm… the one that immediately comes to mind is people talking during a movie. They try to whisper but that makes it worse. Ack, I hate that.
38. Favorite Television show?
Right now it’s Gossip Girl.
39. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Rob
40. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
I stole this from Nicola and yes, she’s pretty darn awesome.
41. Favorite soft drink?
Coke. So refreshing on a hot day.
42. Favorite restaurant?
Huh. I LOVE food but don’t think I have a favorite restaurant…
43. Hair Color?
Black
44. Siblings?
None. I’m an only child.
46. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My Barbies and their Dream House. Gawd, I’m such a girl.
47. Summer or Winter?
Summer for the weather but Winter for the clothes.
48. Hugs or kisses?
Kisses.
49. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate.
50. Do you want your friends to repost this?
Of course!
51. When was the last time you cried?
I’m sure I’ve cried this year but I don’t think it was in a serious situation… I probably cried while watching One Tree Hill or something. Hee.
52. What is under your bed?
We use that space for more storage so I have boxes filled with linens, scarves, and bags/purses under there.
53. Who is the friend you’ve had longest?
In real life, I’ve known my best friends Carmen and Robyn the longest.
54. What did you do last night for dinner?
I bought some sushi after work and brought it home to eat with Diesel.
55. Favorite smell?
I loooove the smell of coffee.
57. How many keys on your key ring?
Only two — one for the apartment and the other for the mailbox.
58. How many years at your current job?
1.5
59. Favorite day of the week?
Friday… I know it’s a work day but I love the anticipation of the weekend.
60. How many towns have you lived in?
I’m on my third.
61. Do you make friends easily?
No. I’m too much of an introvert.
62. How many folks will read this?
I actually don’t think anyone will get this far.
63. Are you happy?
Yes, I really am.

I’ve been in a “post-Potter state of depression” (tm Sarah) since finishing the last book. It seems so silly but I’m incredibly sad. It’s been a great ride for me… I didn’t start reading the books until the summer of 2001, right after college graduation. I was a “late bloomer,” as they say, hehe. One of my college roommates recommended them to me after she read the first 4 books during our senior year. I remember wondering why in the world she was reading children’s books. Little did I know. Fast forward to the summer when I had no job (no full-time job anyway) and lots of free time to do nothing. It sounds fun but doing nothing all day gets old pretty quickly. I used to pick up books from the Borders across the street regularly and one day, I finally broke down and bought the first HP book. After reading the first few pages, I was hooked. And I raced through the next 3 books that same week.

The HP world has been a part of my life since then. That’s 6 years of re-reading the series, speculation and discussion, impatient anticipation for the next installments and midnight release parties. It just doesn’t seem real that Harry’s story is over. Well, at least there’s always the last 2 movies! They’re not nearly as good as the books but I love them just the same.

I feel so lucky to have been a part of the HP phenomenon. As soon as I got home with Deathly Hallows, I knew that millions of people around the world were doing the exact same thing I was. I find that freaking incredible, you know? Anyway, I sat down to type up my thoughts on DH and I’ve totally went off on a random tangent, lol.

Here goes.

I loved it. But you knew that. It was an absolutely engaging story from beginning to end…

Things I Didn’t Care For
1. Draco’s story. It was a little disappointing. I’ve always found him to be a fascinating character. I never thought he was actually evil… he was certainly taught to be but I don’t believe that he shared the same conviction as his parents. After HBP, I felt like he was going to make a choice for one side or the other. Or at least he had the set up to do so. But nothing really happened to him. He’s not entirely good but not entirely evil. Meh.
2. Ginny. I used to like her just fine but the H/H shipper in me has developed irrational hate. Sorry. :/ Plus, I kinda think she’s a little *too* perfect.
3. Snape’s redemption. Now don’t get me wrong, I actually really loved his backstory but I think it came too late for me to feel bad for him or to really dwell on the impact of his sacrifices.
4. Inter-house unity theme being dropped at the end. That was an important thread running through the book and it was seemingly squashed in the epilogue. UGH.
5. Aaahhh, the epilogue. Yeah, I could have done without it. I would have at least liked to find out what the other characters were up to (Luna, Dean, the Professors at Hogwarts, the other Weasleys, etc). Plus, I feel like the final chapter was so intense and powerful that the epilogue just felt tacked on. It just didn’t pack the same emotional punch. For me, anyway. I guess I’ll have to settle for JKR’s post-HP interviews like this one to find out what happened to everyone.

Deaths
1. Hedwig. UGH. Stab to the heart right from the start. (I rhymed!)
2. Dobby. *sob* I’ve always been a bit indifferent to Dobby (he was so annoying in CoS though I loved his devotion to Harry). But OMG… his death made me unbelievably sad. And Harry burying him just about killed me.
3. Fred. I had a feeling one of the Weasleys was going to die. I just wish it wasn’t one of the twins. :/ Percy would have been okay. Oh, just kidding.
4. The 3 above were the ones that really pained me… the deaths of Mad-Eye, Tonks, and Lupin, while still sad, didn’t really affect me the same as the others. I guess I almost expected their deaths. Maybe not the exact characters, per say, but I knew going in that there would be a fair amount of deaths in DH. Plus, I just don’t really have the same emotional connection to them. Well, maybe Lupin. He’s a big reason why I love PoA so much.
5. Snape. I think he’s an absolutely intriguing character. And I love him for that. But I can’t reconcile his actions with his motivations. I know he was working with Dumbledore because of his love for Lily but it just doesn’t seem enough to explain away the horrible things he’s done and how he’s made Harry feel during the series. I’m not surprised by his death, though, and I think it was necessary for his sacrifices to really mean anything.
6. The Baddies — Wormtail, Bellatrix, and Voldemort. Their deaths were just a matter of time so nothing unexpected there. I did like the circumstances surrounding each of their deaths, though. Very appropriate for each of them. Sounds horrible but it’s true.

Moments/Things I Loved
1. Anything Harry-related. He’s my favorite character in the series and he was seriously inspirational in this book.
2. Dudley thanking Harry for saving his life.
3. Neville’s always kind of flown under the radar for me until these last few books… he’s really become a brave, confident young man and I’m so glad he had the chance to play an important role in the battle. I loved when he pulled Gryffindor’s sword out of the Sorting Hat and then killed Nagini. I do have to admit that a small part of me wanted him to finish off Bellatrix. Molly killing her was just as sweet, though,
4. Potterwatch! That was awesome.
5. Snape’s relationship with Dumbledore.
6. Kreacher making treacle tart for Harry and later, rallying the house elves for the Battle. YAY Kreacher!
7. Pansy Parkinson pointing out Harry when Voldemort demands his surrender and all the other houses come to his defense.
8. The Marauders (+ Lily) walking with Harry to face Voldemort. This gave me chills.
9. Narcissa covering up for Harry after asking about Draco.

But probably my favorite moment was the following…
Hermione had taken his hand again and was gripping it tightly. He could not look at her, but returned the pressure, now taking deep, sharp gulps of the night air, trying to steady himself, trying to regain control. He should have brought something to give them, but he had not thought of it, and every plant in the graveyard was leafless and frozen. But Hermione raised her wand, moved it in a circle through the air, and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before them. Harry caught it and laid it on his parents’ grave.

As soon as he stood up he wanted to leave: He did not think he could stand another moment there. He put his arm around Hermione’s shoulders and she put hers around his waist, and they turned in silence and walked away through the snow, past Dumbledore’s mother and sister, back toward the dark church and the out-of-sight kissing gate.

Yes, it’s shippy — SORRY! I love them so.

I think I’m going to do a re-read.

That was me after picking up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night. I’m wearing my Harry Potter track jacket (it’s similar to his triwizard robes in the GoF movie) and my Gryffindor scarf. HEE. But uhhh, please excuse my greasy face. My friends and I checked out the midnight release party but there wasn’t anything going on that captured our attention so we came back to my apartment and played Harry Potter Scene It? until about 11:15 when we went back to Borders to get in line to buy the book. SQUEE. The line went super fast and Rob and I were home by 12:30. (We live right across the street from Borders). Of, course, I cracked the book open right away.

And I finished it tonight. But don’t worry, no spoilers here… I’m going to wait a bit to let the finality of the series sink in and then I’ll post my thoughts. Maybe tomorrow.

For now, an HP meme courtesy of Sarah…

Favorite Book: Goblet of Fire. I just love the Triwizard tournament and the Yule Ball. Prisoner of Azkaban is a *very* close second.
Favorite Character: Harry. I can’t help it. ILUFFHIMSO.
Favorite Movie: Prisoner of Azakaban. So far, it’s been my favorite interpretation.
Favorite Spell: Expecto Patronum. The idea of your happy thoughts acting as a a protector against dementors is just so hopeful.
Favorite Couple: Harry and Hermione. I know it’s not canon. But their relationship touches me just the same.
Favorite Magical Building: Hogwarts.
Favorite Magical Creature: House-elves.
Favorite Non-Human Character: Hedwig!
Favorite Scene: This isn’t fair… there’s so many! Off the top of my head… all the Time-Turning scenes and learning about the Marauders in PoA, St. Mungo’s and Dumbledore’s Army in OotP, the Yule Ball in GoF… I’m sure there’s tons more.
Favorite Family: Well, the Weasleys, of course!
Favorite Class: Charms.
Favorite Movie Scene: Again, I have a few… when the trio first meet on the Hogwarts Express in SS, the Gryffindor boys eating candy in their tower on their first night back at Hogwarts in PoA, Harry asking Cho to the Yule Ball in GoF, and all the Dumbledore’s Army scenes in OotP.
Favorite HP website: Don’t really have one. Though I do always go to The Leaky Cauldron for news… it’s too bad the site layout is awful and loads so slowly.
Favorite House: Gryffindor!
Favorite Bad-Guy: Draco Malfoy.
Favorite room in Hogwarts: Gryffindor Common Room.
Favorite Teacher: Professor McGonagall.
Favorite Ministry Employee: Kingsley Shacklebolt. Or Tonks.
Favorite Ministry Department: Department of Magical Games and Sports? Or maybe the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Favorite Magical Transportation: Apparition.

I’ve decided to re-read the entire series before diving into Deathly Hallows this weekend. I’m currently on Goblet of Fire.

So I’m sitting here at work (shhh! don’t tell!) thinking about the differences between Order of the Phoenix movie and the book. I know they had to cut a lot out due to time but I would have loved to see:

– The Howler Dumbledore sent to Aunt Petunia (REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA!)
– St. Mungo’s
– Snape’s worst memory (ok ok, I know this was in the movie but I would have liked to see MORE of it — and with Lily too)
Other thoughts:
– Was it just me or was Mrs. Figg totally… off? She completely didn’t match what I had envisioned.
– I don’t care for Michael Gambon’s interpretation of Dumbledore. He doesn’t understand the character. At all. I didn’t notice it much in PoA or GoF but it was pretty jarring in OotP.

Ok, back to work…

I also started re-reading the Harry Potter series. Finally! I quickly finished Sorceror’s Stone so now I’m on Chamber of Secrets. I don’t think I’ll get through them all this week so after book 2, I might jump straight to Half-Blood Prince. Ack, I can’t believe Deathly Hallows is almost here. I don’t want the series to end. *tear*

So today I went to see Order of the Phoenix again with some friends. I liked the movie the first time around but I liked it A LOT better the second. Some spoilery thoughts (in list form like Sarah because it’s easiest)…

Things I Didn’t Care For
1. Sirius’s death. I just… it’s not how I pictured it. I thought the curse was instant.
2. Details that were different from the previous movies. For example, both the Dementors and Sirius communicating through the fire were executed differently in Movie 3. I like consistency. :/
3. Cho selling out the DA. I know it’s easier for the storyline not to introduce another character and it makes it clear that a romantic relationship between her and Harry didn’t work out. But I have a soft spot for Cho.
4. Not enough Occlumency!
5. I missed Quidditch and Ron and Hermione being prefects.

Things I Loved
1. Dumbledore’s Army. SQUEE. Exactly how I imagined.
2. The casting of Professor Umbridge, Luna Lovegood, and Bellatrix Lestrange was spot on. They were all pretty darn perfect.
3. Daniel Radcliffe. He really just keeps getting better and better. ILUFFHIMSO.
4. The kids in the Department of Mysteries holding out their wands ready for battle. It seriously gave me chills.
5. The Dumbledore/Voldemort fight was SO AWESOME.
If anyone else has written a blog about the movie, let me know in the comments! I love to read everyone’s thoughts. But for now, I’ve got to get back to my reading…

Now, it’s bedtime.

Tonight was the HP OotP premiere in LA and I have to share this photo of the trio.

Look at Rupert’s shirt! He is so AWESOME. LOL. And wow, Emma is gorgeous. I hate her. Just kidding. Sort of.

I saw Transformers this weekend and LOVED it. Weird, right? I’ve been looking forward to seeing it (Josh Duhamel, baby!) but I thought it would be cheesy and over the top (I mean, come on, it’s a Michael Bay movie). Well, it was both of those things but it was also hugely entertaining. I completely enjoyed myself (and even found myself laughing *out loud*) throughout the entire movie (yes, even during the cheesy “more than meets the eye” lines). Shia LaBeouf was a huge reason why the movie was so fun. I’ve liked him in other movies before but now I’m definitely a fan. He totally carried the movie and gave it a heart. Plus, his delivery of all the one-liners is so spot on. ILUFFHIM. Megan Fox, on the other hand, apparently took classes from the Jessica Alba school of bad acting. She *is* pretty hot, though. And Bumblebee is officially my favorite Transformer. Anyway, go see it!

Haven’t been doing much of anything but I did see Ratatouille on Saturday morning. YAY. Awesome, awesome movie. I never thought that a *rat* could be CUTE. But somehow Pixar pulled it off. Everyone needs to go see it.

Harry Potter and the OotP in 1 week! Whee! I’ve watched the midnight showing for each of the other 4 movies so I contemplating doing that again… but OotP’s being released on a Wednesday. Why?! That’s totally going to screw up my work week. At least when I caught the midnight showing the previous times, there was only 1 more work day left until the weekend, when I could “catch up” on sleep. Grrr. I also haven’t started the HP re-read that I wanted to do before Deathly Hallows. Oh well. I’m kind of resigned to the fact that it won’t happen. Maybe I can at least read Books 5 and 6…

Anyway, thanks to all of you for your comments and emails regarding my previous wedding rant. I am such a drama queen. LOL. I was in a really bad mood when I was typing it up. :/ Sorry about that. Hopefully my next update will be more positive.

Anyway, I saw Spider-Man 3 on Saturday morning. 10am showing! HEE. My friends and I are dorks. We didn’t want to deal with the crowds so we thought a morning showing would be best. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’ll just say that I was a tad disappointed. There were too many storylines going and not enough follow through. But I was entertained and I guess that’s all I can ask for in a movie. Pirates 3 is next!

The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix trailer played before Spidey 3 and… WOW. It looked absolutely amazing on the big screen. I am *so* excited for HP5. Which reminds me… I need to start my re-read of the books soon!

And because my old roommate Jimmy just got engaged and he keeps asking me to upload music, here’s a mish-mash of recs for y’all –

Right click, save as…
username: cookie
password: monster

Snow Patrol – You Could Be Happy (LOVE this song!)
Snow Patrol – Signal Fire (from the Spidey 3 soundtrack)
Mat Kearney – Girl America
Rogue Wave – Eyes
Timbaland – Oh Timbaland
Timbaland – Apologize

Off to watch 24!