I am NOT old. That’s what I keep telling myself. And I’m not. I’m only 41. That’s like 18 in giant tortoise years. Nevertheless, three solid nights of Harry Potter, going to bed late and waking up early to get to work early to leave work early to make it to the theatre by 6:00 is starting to take its toll. And we haven’t even hit midnight yet! Not being a coffee drinker (how can you tolerate that stuff?), I’m relegated to caffeinated soda for my stimulant high, which is fine. I love soda, bad for you as it is. But downing a small keg of soda before a long movie presents other problems. Sure, I’ll be awake but I’ll be squirming so much people will throw Ritalin at my head. That leaves my hour-long lunch break to try and grab a nap. Yeah, that’ll happen. It will take me a solid 20 minutes or so to actually get to a light doze and all the while I’ll be arguing with myself like Cameron Frye over whether or not I should get something to eat since I’m freaking starving and a rumbling stomach is not conducive to nappy time.
There is more at stake tonight, though. This is the last hurrah and if I’m a wee bit tired then sheer determination will have to carry me through. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Fatigue can wait another day. I can sleep when I’m dead.
As for last night, read on.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Without a doubt, this is the best and strongest film in the entire series (I’ll be shocked if film number eight can top it). I find it no coincidence that this is the only film not adapted by Steve Kloves. One-time contributor Michael Goldenberg does a magnificent job of trimming the fat and moving things along without sacrificing the magical elements that have made Harry Potter so appealing. Imelda Staunton is gleefully hateful as the Ministry of Magic’s calculating informant, Dolores Umbridge. She oozes sticky-sweet cruelty in Pepto-Bismol pink. The young Order of the Phoenix hold their own in a fantastic showdown with the maleficent Death Eaters; Harry comes into his own while teaching a ragtag army of students defensive magic; Nicholas Hooper orchestrates the best score since the original; and on and on and on. Brisk and bountiful from start to finish, this Harry Potter entry is a cinematic feast.
Best Bit: The Weasley twins, fed-up with Umbridge’s abuse, drop out of Hogwart’s in a spectacular display of joyful retribution.
Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince
I’ve already reviewed this film here. While I agree with some of the comments that it is, indeed, a gorgeous film to look at, it is also so torporific that during the ‘climactic’ sequence in the cave, I fell asleep… and that was the exciting part! On the one hand, I can appreciate director David Yates attempting to give each film a different look and feel. On the other hand… something happen already!
Best Bit: Snape and Dumbledore’s final encounter. Alan Rickman’s face says it all.
Well, I’ve slapped myself across the face a dozen times, I’ll be singing to loud music in the car as the wind blows in through the open windows and that tanker truck of soda will be waiting for me when I get to the theatre. This is it, folks. As Peter Venkman would say, see you on the other side.