First, a confession. I have the type of brain that cares more about characters and emotions than plot points. I was the type of gal when applying for college made sure that there was not a hard core science requirement. Much to Mike's chagrin, I seem to have a compulsion to start talking when the guys in "Car Talk" are discussing the puzzler. That's the way my mind rolls.
So I have a love for all things Potter, and I make sure that I see it in the theatre every time the new installment came out. I read every book. And yet...I often forget things. There is a whole aspect of H. Potter that is lost on me, because my brain seems to sing a whole other tune when the Sleuth-type clues are passed out. So there is a part of me that basically feels like an idiot whenever I see one of these movies, because although I care about the characters, I can't seem to keep everything straight in my head.
This seemed particularly evident in this installment, which to me, opened up mid-story. I think in a perfect world, the last Potter movie would just be insanely long with an intermission in the middle of it. It would never happen, because it doesn't make economic sense, but it would make me happier to see this book addressed as one cohesive unit, and it just seems like a delightful way to spend an afternoon.
So this film seemed problematic to me from the get go, because it's basically one extended action sequence, one long chase, and when I see these things, my brain just yawns and I find myself thinking about mythical Parisian cafes or wondering why Les Deux Chats in Ashland wasn't open on Sunday morning. Shouldn''t an artisanal bakery be open on a Sunday morning? And then I look back at the screen and see people running around and think, "Ah, yes, action. I'm supposed to care."
But I was still very fond of this movie. I'm going to be very vague and perhaps a smidge poetic here, but please don't read if you haven't seen the movie yet. Travel on to the next paragraph. Here's what I loved most: the magnificent Maggie Smith, the complexity of Alan Rickman, the white screen, the walk with Harry and Dumbledore. That was the moment I loved the most. There is something so quiet and loving about Dumbledore. Someday I would like to go back and compare the performances of Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in this role. It's hard now to imagine anyone else but Gambon as this character.
When I watched the Harry Potter stories, I often thought of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." A group of young people, terrific friends, have to figure out how they can save the world. It's a tried and true formula that works. I will miss the tradition of going to see the new Harry Potter.
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