Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

broderic on July 20, 2009

Leaving the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, I was livid in what they had done to the story. They pealed away the best parts (IMNHO) of the book that of Tom Riddle and the how and the why he became Voldemort. They also took out the fireworks, the battle at Hogwarts. What was left was a 2.5 hour prequel to the final book and to the two final movies. It just didn’t have to be that way.

This adaptation loses the context to what is going on in the wizarding world. The stakes were raised since the last movie as the resurrection of Voldemort meant increasing conflict with the muggle world, but except, for the opening, you don’t get the tension between our muggle and the wizarding world. It is glossed over and meant to have been extrapolated by those that have read the books. The danger to our world is part of the reason that Harry and his allies must defeat Voldemort. The bad want to inflict harm on us muggles. The good wants to live in harmony. The high stakes are not laid out in the movie.

For me, the high stakes are what was central to the books. Not only is it about Harry Potter, but it is about the wizarding world co-existing in our universe. It is about Hermione and Ron, Harry’s pals who end up falling for each other. It’s about the Weasleys and Ginny. It’s about the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore’s Army, and augurs. It’s about the long line of Hogwart’s head masters. It’s about Tom Riddle and Voldemort, and Snape and the Deatheaters. It’s more than just Harry Potter.

But the movies don’t give us that. For me, the books progressed from being about Harry to being about his world. He wasn’t always the most interesting character. It was the others around him that made him interesting, and his nemesis, Tom Riddle was the most interesting of all. The story expanded around Harry in the books, but the story seems to coalesce around him in the movies. Just as the story gets interesting, the movie jettisons those elements that make it more interesting in order to tell Harry’s tale. It’s like a meal without salt: there’s something off about the taste.

When I got home, I had to read the last chapters of the HBP to remind me of how good the book was. I got the battle at Hogwarts details wrong. Yet, I decided to put the book on my night stand, to read it again and to remember that a story about Harry Potter is more than just about him but of his world.

3 of 5 stars.

These legs, they’re heavy

broderic on July 18, 2009

And so is the rest of my body. I’m 5 lbs heavier than last year and I can feel it. My average MPH is down to 14.5 mph, but I’m taking in more hills. It’s the hills that are killing me.

Today, I only road 28 miles out to Falls Road and back. Instead of the usual Park Heights climb out of the valley, I chose to stay on Garrison Forest. When you look at its average grade, their are parts of it going into the red about 8% plus, but it is only for half a mile. I hated every minute of the climb. I had to stop once past the steep. I watched some riders go down it. You can do 45 MPH on that, but up I was only going 5 MPH. I suck.

Going out, I knew this was going to be a terrible day. These legs of mine didn’t want to turn the cranks over. I also don’t think I had enough energy. Dinner last night was a long time and I didn’t really have any carbs to fuel me today. But I had to go out. 500 miles for the year is coming up. I need to get to 650 by September. Tomorrow should be the quick time practice.

See you on the road.

I Love You, Beth Cooper

broderic on July 16, 2009

I Love You, Beth Cooper begins with an inopportune love declaration. Dennis, the Coove, Cooverman, class valedictorian declares his love for the one, Beth Cooper. During his commencement speech. *Gasp* It takes nerves to declare love like that, and to believe that it would work, it is a fantasy. A fantasy, that the love of your life would respond to something that bold. A fantasy, because you’ve never been face-to-face. A fantasy, because you only know the back of her pretty blonde head. A fantasy will always conjures up dreams.

I’m just beginning to read the book, and so far, the movie script has matched the book. And so far, book and movie aren’t all that funny. I thought it (the book) was supposed to be hilarious. Written by a former Simpsons writer, Larry Doyle, it should be perfect, but he didn’t write any episodes during The Simpsons golden age, seasons 1-8, so he may not have been too funny. That’s why the gags in the book and the movie don’t seem to be working very well.

I expected another “Can’t Hardly Wait,” but got Joysticks. It was my own fantasy that this would be a decent movie. But I think I would rather spend my time behind the pretty blonde in class and leave those fantasies to my own mind.

2 of 5 stars.

“I got it! I got it!”

broderic on July 13, 2009

The first half of baseball season is done, and the wretched Orioles have completed it with a 40-48 record. I’m hoping for slightly better after the All Star break, at least 43 wins. Yet, that doesn’t sound so good, but if you know the Orioles, you know that they traditionally fade in the second half. Wait, fade is too nice of a word. They disappear. They get losing streaks that are absolutely crazy: 12 games, 10 games. For them to win 43 games and finish with a 83-93 record would be progress. One step, one season at a time.

But that’s something to look forward. The ultimate optimism of a fan of a terrible team.

Let’s look back. We’ve gone to 8 games (7 home, 1 away), and we’re 4-4. In fact, we caught the first two games of this past weekend. I haven’t been to back to back games since I was a kid: 1982 and the chase for the AL East title versus the Milwaukee Brewers. Friday’s was a loss. The O’s got no runs.

And it was sad, but we got fireworks!

And I got to talk to the ballgirl. She tells me they have to try out for the position. Cool. I don’t think I get to ask her about her health benefits. Those screaming line drives could hurt!

We had so much fun, we decide to go back for Saturday’s game. We make a day of it, by stopping by the Sports Legends Museum. Cool, but I just like the baseball part. Then the Babe Ruth Museum. Strange to be in Baltimore and see NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox to be feted. I couldn’t wait to get out of there quick.

Then we finally get to the park. I get the tickets in right field. Just where I really always want to sit. We watch Nick Markakis dawdle out the game. Nothing coming his way. We’re bored. Before the game, the gentleman two rows back talks to his son who was excited. His son wants to catch a foul. “Not if I don’t jump in his way,” I blurt out. The man wasn’t amused. A family sits right down behind us. During Aubrey Huffs first at bat, he taps me on the shoulder and says, “Watch out, Huff pulls lots of balls down this way.” Ooo. The fourth inning arrives and there is a ball hit our way. It’s coming, fading slightly to my left, three seats over across the aisle. A guy in a Pujols jersey is gonna get lucky. It hits him in the palm, pops out, he tries to snag it, bobbles it, and watches as his neighbor gets it. Too bad! “Sorry, man.” Buy that guy a beer.

Seventh inning. The next foul ball.

It’s hit right at me. I know. It is hit RIGHT AT ME! I stand up! Now, I’m not really good at fly balls, but this one I know: IT IS HIT RIGHT AT ME! I’m tracking it. It’s all mine! I reach to catch it. *POCK!* It’s hit my palm. I don’t got it. I look it to see where it is. It’s in some other guys hands as he picks it up off the floor. In all my years no foul ball has ever been as prettily hit towards me as that one. And I fucking drop it. My palm stings. Even more so because the ball is not in my possession. The dude in the Pujols jersey consoles me, “I know how you feel.” I’m still thinking about it.

But the MelMo comes through with a walk off homerun. What a game! This one and baseball. I can’t wait for the next half.